A 37-year-old South African man in KwaZulu-Natal was sentenced on Friday to life imprisonment for raping his seven-year-old niece in April this year.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Col Thembeka Mbele said the man was caught red-handed at the child’s home in Port Dunford.

“On April 18 2020, a child was sweeping inside the rondavel at her home in Port Dunford when the uncle entered and raped her. The uncle was caught red-handed by the child’s grandmother who reported the incident to the police.

“A case of rape was opened at Esikhaleni police station and it was assigned to the Empangeni Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for investigation. The uncle was immediately arrested and was kept in custody throughout the trial until he was prosecuted,” she said on Sunday.

Mbele said the man was sentenced in the Esikhaleni regional court.

Acting provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Thulani Gonya commended the investigating officer for sending a well-investigated docket to court.

“Crimes against children cannot be tolerated, especially committed by people meant to be protectors to the victims. We will ensure that they face the full might of law,” said Gonya.