The mother said she felt deeply hurt and betrayed by her son after raising him as a single parent.
A 22-year-old Northern Cape man, who raped his biological mother, has been sentenced to 20 years’ direct imprisonment.
Despite a guilty plea, the Carnarvon Regional Court in the province’s Karoo region found that the man’s actions warranted substantial prison time.
The court also ordered that he be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
Evidence before the court revealed that on 23 November 2025, the man’s mother and her life partner had fallen asleep after consuming alcohol when the son returned from a friend’s house, also under the influence of alcohol.
He then undressed his sleeping mother and sexually penetrated her without her consent.
During the ordeal described by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as a “gross violation of trust and bodily integrity”, the mother woke up and found her son on top of her.
The court heard that she then confronted her offspring about his actions, leading to him fleeing the house.
The mother then relayed what had happened to her partner, and subsequently reported the matter to the police.
According to NPA regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane, the man denied the allegations in a warning statement following his arrest.
DNA evidence, however, linked him to the offence.
“Faced with the compelling evidence presented by the state, including the complainant’s testimony and the DNA results, the accused ultimately pleaded guilty to the charge of rape,” Senokoatsane said on Friday, 28 August.
In court, state prosecutor Xolisa March presented a Victim Impact Statement prepared by the mother with the assistance of court preparation officers Trott Manghana and Nicolene Moora.
Her statement detailed the devastating emotional consequences of the offence.
She explained that she had raised her son as a single parent and felt deeply hurt and betrayed by his actions.
“She further indicated that she continues to receive counselling and experiences ongoing trauma, including difficulties sleeping as a result of the incident,” Senokoatsane said.
March argued that the son violated not only his mother’s dignity and bodily integrity, but also the fundamental trust that exists between a parent and child.
The state further submitted that he deliberately exploited the complainant’s vulnerability, knowing she was under the influence of alcohol and unable to adequately protect herself.
Senokoatsane said: “The state also placed before the court that the accused had recently been released on parole after serving a sentence for a dishonesty-related offence when he committed the rape.
“It was argued that this demonstrated a serious disregard for the law and for the opportunity afforded to him for rehabilitation.”
Senokoatsane encouraged victims and survivors of sexual offences to report such crimes and make use of the victim-support services available throughout the criminal justice process.
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