Two South African men accused of raping a 14-year-old girl had the book thrown at them and sentenced to life behind bars, the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo has said.

24-year-old Dolphy Malatji and 26-year-old Johana Baloyi are said to have attacked the victim in April 2018 at a homestead in Tzaneen.

The pair appeared before the Lulekani Regional Court on Tuesday, 7 July 2020, where their fate was sealed.

“As the fight against crimes perpetrated against women and children is being intensified, the Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offenses Unit of the South African Police Service in the Province continues to acquire lengthy sentences against the perpetrators of this scourge. This after the Lulekani Regional Court, this week on 07 July 2020, condemned two heartless criminals to life imprisonment for raping a 14-year-old girl”, the SAPS said in a statement.

“The rapists, Dolphy Malatji aged 24 and Johana Baloyi aged 26 met the little girl on 24 April 2018 at about 16h00, walking along one of the streets at Nwamitwa village outside Tzaneen. They then suddenly dragged her into one of the convict’s homestead and both repeatedly raped her”