SHE trusted them like brothers but they sneaked up on her while she was sleeping in her shack and gang-raped her.
After opening a case in 2019, the victim from Ivory Park near Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, finally got justice on Monday, 16 May.
The two rapists, aged 27 and 29, received a life sentence in the Ivory Park Magistrates Court.
Captain Bernard Matimulane said the two men, who were in the country illegally, were arrested shortly after robbing and raping the victim.
“Eric Ncube and Derrick Ndlovu, from Ivory Park extension 2, forcibly entered the room where the victim was sleeping in June 2019. They threatened her with violence if she screamed, and then both raped her,” he said.
He said the suspects had been in custody since their arrest as they were in the country illegally.
The victim said she was pleased with the sentence.
She was hoping that this became a lesson to other men who viewed women as sex objects.
“Men should be protecting women, not harming them. I trusted them and I never thought they would turn against me,” she said.
Ivory Park station commander Brigadier David Ngcobo welcomed the sentencing.
“They earned this lengthy sentence as a result of the terror they inflicted on the victim. We salute Sergeant Andile Mbovane for the excellent investigation that ensured that the two were permanently withdrawn from our community.”