Man impregnated his daughter three times

Mbombela - An Mpumalanga minibus taxi owner who raped and repeatedly impregnated his daughter since she was 11 is appealing his life sentence, News24 reported.

The 57-year-old, who may not be named to protect his daughter's identity, appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Tuesday.

In December, Magistrate Vanessa Joubert found him guilty of rape and of assaulting his wife.

He was arrested in March 2012, after the girl and her mother escaped from him and broke their silence.

The trial was delayed several times for various reasons, including having forensic tests done on three love letters he denied writing to his daughter.

After the family refused to get him a lawyer, he finally agreed to be represented by a Legal Aid lawyer.

The court heard that he raped his biological daughter and impregnated her three times between 2001 and 2003. He forced her to abort the foetuses.

Joubert found him guilty based on evidence from the daughter and her mother. She sentenced him to life, plus 15 years imprisonment, and a further three years for assault.

During his appearance on Tuesday, he wore a bright white shirt, light blue jeans, and sported a well-trimmed beard and cap.

"Your appeal has been delayed due to the fact that we still have not received the transcripts of the trial," said Joubert.

Last year, three of the courts were flooded when it rained, damaging the recording machines. They could not retrieve some of the transcripts.

"Once the process of obtaining the transcripts has been finalised they will then be forwarded to your attorney," said Joubert.

She postponed the case to February 3.