Government notes and welcomes the three life sentence handed over to former post office worker Luyanda Botha for the rape and murder of Uyinene Mrwetyana.
Botha pleaded guilty to raping and killing UCT student Mrwetyana earlier this year.
Government thanks the police for the sterling work that went into this case and the swift arrest of Botha which culminated into his sentencing today.
The sentencing today adds to the many convictions that the criminal justice system has meted out of rapist and abusers of women in the last few months.
The sentences given by the court send a strong message to all those who may be involved in incidents of rape and sexual assault against women that they will not go unpunished.
“Like many other cases of sexual violence and killing of women, the case of Uyinene shook our nation and elevated the fight against gender-based violence.
While this sentence will not bring Uyinene back, we trust that her family, the UCT student community, and South Africans as whole, will find solace in the fact that justice has been done for this little girl,” said GCIS Acting Director General Phumla Williams.
Government has placed the issue of violence against women and children firmly on the top of its priorities and President Ramaphosa has proposed a range of legal and regulatory reforms to Parliament to strengthen the response of the State to gender-based violence and to ensure that all crimes against women and children attract harsher minimum sentences.
Through imposing harsh sentences and ensuring that perpetrators of rape don’t get bail, government is happy that the judiciary is supporting the national effort to end gender-based violence to ensure abusers, rapists and murderers know that they will be caught and punished.
Government remains firm that, going forward, the State should oppose bail for suspects charged with the rape and murder of women and children and those who are found guilty of such crimes should not be eligible for parole.
Enquiries:
Phumla Williams
Cell: 083 501 0139
