Historic conviction offers new hope to survivors of sexual assault

WHAT initially appeared as an insurmountable task resulted in victory in the pursuit of justice when State prosecutor Carryn Uys secured a landmark conviction three decades after the incidents of rape and indecent assault of a child.

- CHEVON BOOYSEN

The victory now stands as a beacon of hope to survivors of historical sexual assault crimes, with a reverberating message of hope breaking the shackles of silence.

The landmark conviction came when Clinton McMaster, formerly Clinton Nair, was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault and one count of rape, perpetrated between 1990 and 1991.

He was convicted in the Cape Town Dedicated Sexual Offences Regional Court in October last year, where Uys's dedication and expertise played a crucial role despite the challenges posed by the case's complexity and the passage of time.

He was sentenced to an effective seven years behind bars.

The victim, Zara Katovsky, attributed the victory to divine intervention. She was raped and groomed by McMaster, who had worked for her father as the family's bookkeeper.