Man who offered to walk teen home after festival gets life for rape

Tshepiso Tau has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a 16-year-old girl in North West.

She’d been attending a cultural dance festival with her friends.

When she lost them, he offered to walk her home.

Instead, he attacked her.

Tau, 34, was found guilty of rape and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Molopo Regional Court, the South African Police Service (SAPS) in North West announced.

The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm, and ordered that his name be entered in the National Register for Sex Offenders.

POLICE PRAISE INVESTIGATORS

North West Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Arthur Peter Adams commended the investigating officer, Detective Constable Itumeleng Tshegetso of the Mmabatho Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit.

He also praised the prosecutor, Advocate Ofentse Diseko, for their collaboration and hard work, which led to the life sentence.

#sapsNW [JUSTICE PREVAILS: RAPIST SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT]

The South African Police Service in North West has welcomed the successful prosecution and sentencing of Tshepiso Tau (34), who was sentenced to life imprisonment following the rape of a victim who was 16 years… pic.twitter.com/BRYyCp8rSe

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService)

November 1, 2026

WHAT HAPPENED?

The incident happened on Saturday, 12 February 2022.

According to SAPS, the court heard that the teenager was attending a cultural dance festival in Madiba Makgabana Village with her friends, when her friends disappeared.

She was scared to walk home alone, so Tau promised to accompany her.

On the way, he dragged her into the bushes and raped her.

She told her mother what had happened when she got home, and the case was reported to Mmabatho Police Station.

WHERE TO GET HELP

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, help is available:

• GBV Command Centre:

  0800 428 428

  , available 24/7, or dial *120*7867# from any cellphone.

• Childline:

  116

  , toll-free, for children and teenagers.

You can also report sexual offences at your nearest police station.

WHAT MORE CAN BE DONE TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE AT COMMUNITY EVENTS?

Let us know in the comments below…