Man who stabbed girlfriend and twisted her broken leg gets 10 years

A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for raping and assaulting his girlfriend at her home in Niekerkshoop in the Northern Cape.

Floyd van Wyk was convicted by the Regional Court sitting in Griekwastad of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and rape, the South African Police Service said in a media advisory issued through the Office of the Provincial Commissioner in Kimberley.

According to the account in that advisory, van Wyk arrived at the home of the 29-year-old complainant at about 19:45 on Monday, 30 March 2026 and accused her of selling her body to other men. He slapped her in the face, undressed her and sexually assaulted her, then stabbed her in the hip with a knife. He also twisted her already broken leg.

Police were alerted and a case of rape and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was registered at Niekerkshoop Police Station. Van Wyk was arrested the same day.

Detective Constable Boipolelo Criselda Polelo of the Pixley ka Seme District Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit was assigned the investigation. SAPS credits her work with the conviction and sentence.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Cape, Major General Luntu Ngubelanga, commended Polelo for what the service described as her dedication and diligent investigative work.

SAPS said the Northern Cape remains committed to intensifying efforts against gender-based violence and femicide, in line with what it calls its newly established Reset Agenda.

This report is drawn from the SAPS media advisory, which summarises the court outcome rather than reproducing the court record. The canonical source is https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=71936. Enquiries on the SAPS statement are directed to Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Litabe.