HIV-positive father sentenced to life for raping his 13-year-old daughter

'How could my own father want to do this to me? I did not expect this from him...despite this, he remains my father, and I still love him very much.' A 41-year-old HIV-positive man will spend the rest of his life in prison after the Vredenburg Regional Court handed down a life sentence for the rape and attempted murder of his biological daughter. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) secured the conviction after the perpetrator entered a plea-and-sentence agreement with the state. The court sentenced him to life imprisonment for the first count of rape, 35 years for a second count of rape, and 25 years for attempted murder, ordering all sentences to run concurrently. Secluded beach assault and attempted murder The horrific incident took place on 23 May 2025 after the man became angry over pornographic material his partner allegedly found on the 13-year-old victim’s phone. Claiming he would drive the teenage girl to her mother’s house (the couple were divorced), he instead took her to a secluded area behind a beach in Paternoster, where he forced her to lie down in the vehicle and raped her; he did not use a condom. He then drove her back home without taking her to her mother’s home as he had indicated. The court convicted the man of attempted murder because he knowingly engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse while aware of his HIV-positive status, demonstrating a clear intention to infect his daughter with a life-threatening virus. Victim expresses heartbreak and confusion A Victim Impact Statement, facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Deonett Boltney, revealed the deep emotional toll on the young girl. In the statement read to the court, the young victim shared her profound sense of betrayal. “What happened made me feel sad. I was very angry because how could my own father want to do this to me? I did not expect this from him. He disappointed me a lot, but despite this, he remains my father, and I still love him very much.” Directing her final words toward her father, the victim expressed sadness for her younger siblings growing up without a parent, noting that he had brought the harsh outcome upon himself. Prosecutor Minaar added that the father showed total disregard for his daughter’s life and health by carrying out the attack without protection, severely violating her dignity and physical well-being. Betrayal of trust Regional Court Prosecutor Chandre Minaar argued heavily in aggravation of sentence, emphasising that the victim was a vulnerable child who deserved care and protection from her parents. During the proceedings, Prosecutor Minaar highlighted the gravity of the father’s actions. “The accused was her biological father, who bore a fundamental responsibility to protect her from harm, exploitation and abuse. His conduct constituted a profound betrayal of the trust inherent in the parent-child relationship.” Sex offender register Beyond the severe prison terms, the court declared the man unfit to possess a firearm under the Firearms Control Act and unfit to work with children under the Children’s Act. Officials also ordered his details added to the National Register for Sex Offenders and instructed that the victim and her guardian receive formal notification of the sentence. Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Adrian Mopp welcomed the harsh ruling, placing it within the country’s ongoing crisis of gender-based violence. “Gender-based violence and violence against women and children remain matters of serious national concern in South Africa. This matter must be considered against this broader social context, particularly because the victim was a minor subjected to sexual abuse by a person who was both her biological father and someone from whom she was entitled to expect protection.”