A man was jailed for life on Tuesday for raping a woman after viciously beating her with a spade in Pietermaritzburg in December 2006.
Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Kevin Swain said that Bornface Maphanga, 28, of KwaMsane, near Taylor's Halt, had not shown any remorse for his actions.
Instead, his wife had testified in mitigation of sentence that Maphanga had apologised to the victim for the assault with a spade but not for the rape, because he still maintained the sex had been consensual.
Judge Swain said Maphanga had been in a position of trust at the time of the incident and this had been an aggravating factor.
The victim had been a guest staying with Maphanga's fiancee at the time.
State advocate Dalene Barnard said Maphanga had "grabbed his chance" when his fiancee was away at work.
He had hit the woman with a spade, inflicting serious injuries, before raping her.
Barnard said Maphanga had concocted a story that the sex was by consent and that he had tried to commit suicide by drinking poison and attempting to hang himself after the incident.
This had been due to remorse over the fact that they had been unfaithful to their partners.
Judge Swain said it was clear that Maphanga had shown no remorse whatsoever for his deeds and sentenced him to life imprisonment.