Investigations by the Vryheid Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) secured a life imprisonment sentence for a 39-year-old former high school principal found guilty of raping a 15-year-old schoolboy.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS) in KwaZulu-Natal, Mduduzi Ndlovu was sentenced on Tuesday.

The court heard of how Ndlovu manipulated and violated the 15-year-old who trusted and believed in him as his teacher.

Investigations proved that on one afternoon in 2018, the principal requested the boy to assist him in his office and while inside the office, Ndlovu became aggressive and raped the victim.He threated to harm the boy if he told anyone about the incident.

He also gave him money and stationery in exchange for his silence.

"Ndlovu raped the victim on several occasions and he would sometimes fetch him from home and drove with him to his place of residence in Bhekuzulu area where he would rape him. In 2022, a church member noticed a strange behaviour from the boy and questioned him. The teenager broke his silence and a rape case was duly opened," Colonel Robert Netshiunda said on Wednesday.

The former school principal made several court appearances before he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for rape. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

"His name will also be engraved in the National Register for Sex Offenders," said Netshiunda.

In a separate matter, Mhloli Ndlovu was also sentenced to life in prison after he was found guilty of raping his 19-year-old niece.

On the night of 23 July 2022, Ndlovu took the victim to Nodwengu area where he raped her. He also drove to Mahlabathini where he continued raping her.

On both occasions he raped the victim inside his vehicle. His life imprisonment sentenced was handed down earlier this month in the Verulam Regional Court.