Heavily Pregnant Woman Attacked and Raped in Limpopo

• An 18-year-old pregnant woman was on her way back home when she was attacked by a man who then dragged her to the nearby bushes and raped her in Tshisele village, outside of Thohoyandou
• Police told Briefly News in an interview that the attacker then took her cell phone, money and vanished into the bushes
• The woman’s family shared in an interview with Briefly News that the traumatised victim is still receiving medical care

LIMPOPO — An 18-year-old pregnant woman has been left broken, traumatised and in critical condition after she was attacked, robbed and raped while on her way back home from the local clinic for her pregnancy check-up on Wednesday, 18 June 2025. The incident occurred at Tshisele village, located outside Thohoyandou.

Thohoyandou Police Station spokesperson, Vuledzani Dathi, told Briefly News the 18-year-old was attacked a few minutes after she had just alighted from a taxi.

Police are on the lookout for the suspect

She was walking from the main road at Tshisele to her home village of Makononi when an unknown man pointed something at her back. He the forced her into nearby bushes where he raped her.

“After that, he took her cellphone and vanished,” Dathi told Briefly News.

Dathi said the police are working around the clock to bring the suspect to book.

“The suspect is unknown at this stage, but police investigations continue and we are also pleading with the local communities who might have seen something to come forward to help us,” said Dathi.

The 18-year-old woman’s family spokesperson told Briefly News that the victim is still traumatised and currently receiving medical attention at a local hospital.

Pregnant woman traumatised and broken

The woman is stable but critical in a local hospital, where she is being taken care of.

“But at the moment, we cannot share more regarding her health. She is still in shock and traumatised as she is also battling to understand what happened to her,” the family member, who wished to remain anonymous to protect the identity of the 18-year-old victim, told Briefly News.

The family spokesperson also stated that, as a family, they are still in shock over what transpired.

“How can a grown-up man rape a woman who he sees is heavily pregnant? Some men have lost their morals.

“Raping someone is very wrong and inhumane and men need to understand that. He should have just taken the cellphone and money and left her alone.

“Look, now she will be traumatised for the rest of her life,” he said.

The family remains hopeful that the police will apprehend the attacker:

“We are hopeful that the police will be able to trace the whereabouts of the suspect very soon and maybe he will be able to tell us why he decided to do this inhumane act to a young woman who is looking forward to welcoming her first child,” said the family spokesperson.

Dathi has urged those who might have any information that can lead to the arrest of the suspect to contact their nearest police station.

Thohoyandou Police Station statistics paint grim rape figures

Police statistics published earlier this year indicated that Thohoyandou police station is among the top five police stations with the highest number of reported sexual assault cases in the country.

Other rape stories around the country

• Earlier this month, Briefly News published that there is a dangerous syndicate which is operating in Limpopo, which targets vulnerable woman by kidnapping, robbing, raping and killing them.
• The South African Police Service officer who alleggedly raped a trainee at an academy in Tshwane was granted bail.
• The South African Police Service arrested a man in Welkom, Free State after he reportedly raped his children.

Source: Briefly News