LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR A RAPIST WHO TARGETED AN ELDERLY WOMAN TWICE IN HER HOME

14 October 2025

LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR A RAPIST WHO TARGETED AN ELDERLY WOMAN TWICE IN HER HOME

The Bityi Magistrate Court has sentenced Siphelele Mtshotshweni (30) to life imprisonment following his conviction on two counts of rape and two counts of housebreaking with intent to commit a crime. The incidents took place in Mqhekezweni Administrative Area in August and November 2022, where Mtshotshweni twice broke into the home of a 60-year-old woman, during the early hours of the morning and raped her.

On the first occasion, 06 August 2022, the complainant was asleep with her three minor grandchildren, aged between two and six, when the accused forcefully kicked open the locked door to gain entry. He immediately broke the lightbulb to keep the room dark, then proceeded to force the complainant to undress before raping her. The complainant could not identify her attacker due to the darkness, and the matter was registered as undetected at the time. Just three months later, in the early hours of 06 November 2022, the accused returned and again broke down the complainant's locked door. In a desperate attempt to escape and alert neighbours, the complainant tried to flee, resulting in a struggle between her and the accused, which continued outside the home. Due to her medical conditions, including high blood pressure and diabetes, the complainant quickly lost strength. The accused then used a knife to tear off her clothing and raped her twice outside her home. During the incident, she sustained injuries to her left hand. Again, she could not identify her attacker, but semen samples were collected for forensic analysis.

In 2023, Mtshotshweni was linked to another rape case involving an elderly woman in the same area. This time, the victim was able to positively identify him. Buccal samples were obtained from the accused and sent for forensic analysis. The DNA results matched the semen collected in the previous two cases, thereby confirming his identity. He was subsequently arrested and charged. It later emerged that Mtshotshweni lived in the same community as the complainant.

During the trial, the accused pleaded not guilty to all charges and presented an alibi, claiming he had been with his mother during both incidents. However, under cross-examination by Prosecutor Anelisiwe Rwaxa, he failed to provide any credible or consistent account of his whereabouts at the time of the offences. His mother, who testified in his defence, also could not withstand scrutiny under cross-examination, and the court found their version to be improbable and self-serving. The court accepted the evidence presented by the State, including the testimony of the elderly victim, which was clear and consistent, as well as the conclusive forensic evidence. DNA analysis confirmed that semen found on the complainant after the second rape incident matched a buccal sample taken from Mtshotshweni following his arrest in connection with a separate rape case in 2023.

For the 06 August 2022 incident, Mtshotshweni was sentenced to five years' direct imprisonment for housebreaking and twenty years for rape. For the 06 November 2022 incident, he received five years for housebreaking and life imprisonment for rape. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of life imprisonment.

The NPA welcomes this sentence, which delivers justice for the victim and sends a strong message that violence against the most vulnerable in our society will not be tolerated. Cases of this nature reaffirm the NPA’s commitment to fighting gender-based violence and ensuring that perpetrators are removed from our communities.

Issued by:

Luxolo Tyali

Regional Spokesperson – Eastern Cape Division

National Prosecuting Authority

Tel: 047 501 2630

Cell: 073 555 9292

Email: ltyali@npa.gov.za