MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

12 Years Direct Imprisonment Sentence for Rape and Assault

JOHANNESBURG – The Johannesburg District Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit has successfully secured a sentence of 12 years direct imprisonment against a 33-year-old man for rape and assault with intent to course grievous bodily harm.

The conviction stems from an incident in January 2020 in Naledi, Soweto. A 17-year-old female victim was walking along the street when she was approached by the accused. The man demanded that she become his girlfriend. When the victim refused his advances, the accused assaulted her and forced her to his place of residence, where he raped her. The victim later managed to escape the premises and report the matter to the police.

A case was opened and assigned to Detective Warrant Officer Grace Mampholo of Moroka FCS unit. Through her meticulous and excellent investigative work, the suspect was linked to the crime, arrested, and successfully prosecuted.

The court sentenced the accused to 12 years of direct imprisonment. Additionally, the court declared him unfit to possess a firearm.

The sentence sends a strong message that gender-based violence will not be tolerated in our communities.

Category: Tag:

The Oriental Plaza: Architecture

Architecturally, the Plaza is a sprawling 17-hectare complex consisting of North and South malls linked by a three-story circular “Grand Bazaar.” But the true magic is in the sensory experience. Walking through the Plaza is an assault of colors and smells: rolls of exotic sari fabrics stacked to the ceiling, the scent of high-quality leather from shoe-repair stalls, and the aroma of toasted spices. It is a place where “bargaining” is an art form—unlike the fixed prices of Sandton, here you engage directly with the owner, often a third-generation merchant whose family was moved from Fietas fifty years ago.

The cultural heart of the Plaza is undoubtedly its food, specifically the legendary World of Samoosas. This small stall has become a local institution, famous for its unique sweet coconut samoosas and its “Nelson Mandela approved” status (the former president was a fan). Near the south entrance, you’ll find a blue heritage plaque marking Red Square. Long before the Plaza was built, this was an open square where the ANC and Communist Party held mass rallies, and where the Defiance Campaign was launched in 1952. The fact that a shopping mall now stands over this revolutionary ground is a poignant reminder of the city’s layered history. The Oriental Plaza didn’t just survive Apartheid; it outlasted the system that tried to use it as a cage, becoming a symbol of the “tenacity and trading ability” that defines the Johannesburg spirit.