A 33-year-old man who grabbed a girl while she was walking with her friends, and raped her repeatedly, now has a long time to think about his actions.

The Limpopo police on Monday hailed the life sentence recently meted out to Mahlodi Shadrack Makhwiting.

His 11-year-old victim was with her friends at their home village when he approached them and suddenly grabbed her, said Const Mienkie Ramakgoakgoa.

The other girls ran away.

"The victim was dragged to nearby bushes and raped there repeatedly, until she was released later the same day. She arrived home and reported the incident to her family. Police were immediately informed and the suspect was hunted down and arrested."

He was sentenced by the Bochum Magistrate's Court.

Meanwhile, in the Sekhukhune Magistrate's Court, Jan Mnguni, 26, was sentenced to 23 years imprisonment for rape and housebreaking with intent to commit crime.

In June 2017 about 9pm he attacked a 19-year-old woman who was at her home in Nokaneng village sleeping with her two nieces. After he had broken into the room, he raped her at knife-point.

He was arrested after she recognised him in one of the local liquor outlets a few days later and alerted police.

The provincial police commissioner, Lt-Gen Nneke Ledwaba, welcomed the lengthy jail sentences and commended the investigators for ensuring that rapists are dealt with accordingly.