WARNING: This story contains details that may upset sensitive readers.
- Six family members are yet to be sentenced after being found guilty on multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, compelled rape and child abuse.
- The family was effectively part of a child sex ring, sexually assaulting their biological children as well as two foster children.
- The sentencing was postponed after the grandfather was "physically and spiritually" unwell, while his wife was allegedly hospitalised with sore wrists.
The sentencing of six family members who were part of an incestuous child sex ring had to be postponed as the grandfather felt "physically and spiritually" unwell, while the grandmother's wrists were sore.
Four of the family members appeared in the Pretoria North Magistrate's Court on Monday, where the sentencing procedures were meant to get underway in the case, which dates back to 2010.
However, the defence teams for the accused revealed the grandfather was not in a good space physically and spiritually to appear in court.
At the same time, the grandmother had allegedly been hospitalised because of wrist pain.
The Pretoria family, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victims, were exposed after one of the victims, who was six years old at the time, disclosed to an educational psychologist at school her foster parents were sexually assaulting her.
The police investigation uncovered the family had been assaulting two foster children as well as four of their biological children.
The family taught the children how to be sexually active and instructed them to perform sexual acts on one another, while some of the family members also raped and sexually assaulted the victims.
In May this year, the grandfather was found guilty on 17 counts, including rape, indecent assault, compelled rape, compelled sexual assault and child abuse.
The grandmother was found guilty of multiple charges, including sexual assault, compelled rape, child abuse and compelled sexual assault.
The grandmother's son and daughter-in-law were found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault, compelled rape and compelled sexual assault and child abuse and neglect.
The grandmother's daughter and son-in-law were also convicted of child neglect and compelling children to witness sexual acts.
The family were initially charged with creating and possession of child pornography but were acquitted.
The crimes were committed over a period of five years while the children were placed in the care of the grandparents, however, the parents and other family members were also actively involved in the assault of the victims.
Sentencing has been postponed to 1 December 2022.
Three other family members were also originally arrested and charged. Their trial was separated, which resulted in the acquittal of two accused, while the third was found guilty of sexually assaulting and raping one of his half-sisters.
He was later sentenced to nine years in prison.