'Gran is still haunted nightmare' : Pensioner's rapist sentenced to life

The family of a pensioner who was raped at gunpoint in front of her grandchildren wants the perpetrator to rot in jail.

Duddley Mhlongo of Ga-Rababalela village, outside Giyani in Limpopo, was this week sentenced to life imprisonment in the Tzaneen regional court for the rape of a 78-year-old woman in 2018.

Welcoming the sentence, the granny's 47-year-old daughter told Sowetan that the family applauded police and hoped that the rapist would not be released from prison.

"Since the incident happened, my mother has turned into a total stranger and is always in pain. She can hardly hold a long conversation and she has nightmares," she said, adding that her mother was still traumatised by the attack.

"We are happy that the case is finally over after months of difficulties for my mother. Different people came with a lot of money for us to withdraw the case, but we didn't accept because we demanded justice," she said.

She said at the time of the incident, she had accompanied her boyfriend somewhere and Mhlongo went to the house and knocked at the door.

"My mother was with my two children aged nine years and 10 months. When my mother opened the door, he pointed her with a firearm and dragged her out of the yard," she said.

"She was carrying the youngest on her back and the other one followed them. He raped her in front of the children, exposing the elder one to something he will never forget," the daughter said.

Provincial police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said Mhlongo threatened the victim with a firearm, dragged her out of the house and repeatedly raped her before fleeing.

"Police intensive investigations commenced until the suspect was apprehended and detained until his sentencing on Tuesday," he said.