Pretoria scholar transport driver jailed for life after raping nine‑year‑old girl
· Citizen
A 41‑year‑old Pretoria scholar transport driver who lured two children to his home and raped a nine‑year‑old girl has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Given Mpho Mphahlele appeared in the Pretoria Regional Court on Tuesday, 29 July 2026, where the sentence was handed down. At the time of the offence, he had been employed as a scholar transport driver for only two months.
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Rape
The court heard that in June 2021, Mphahlele instructed a seven‑year‑old boy he was transporting to tell his sister to visit him at his residence.
The children informed their mother they were going out to play and followed Mphahlele to his house. Once there, he sent the boy to a shop and raped the girl.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said: “Mphahlele then dressed both himself and the child and threatened to kill the victim’s mother if she disclosed the incident. Before they left, he gave the children R4 to buy chicken heads.”
Arrest
A month later, the child broke down while running an errand and disclosed the rape to her mother. The matter was reported to police, and the victim was referred to the Mamelodi Thuthuzela Care Centre for medical and psychological support. Mphahlele was arrested on 19 August 2021.
During sentencing, Mphahlele asked the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence, citing his role as sole breadwinner for his three children. The State opposed, arguing he had shown no remorse and abused a position of trust.
“Instead, he abused that trust and violated the innocence and dignity of a vulnerable child,” Mahanjana said.
Sentence
The court agreed, finding no compelling circumstances to justify leniency and imposed a life sentence.
Mahanjana added that the NPA remains committed to prosecuting sexual offences against children and urged victims of GBV to use Thuthuzela Care Centres for integrated support.