NPA SECURES LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR SERIAL RAPIST
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the effective sentence of life imprisonment imposed by the Durban Regional Court on a 47-year-old man for offences he committed in the Chatsworth, Savannah Park, and Welbedacht areas between 2013 and 2021.
The accused was convicted of crimes committed against three women, aged between 15 and 31 years old. He was known to two of the complainants.
In May 2013, the accused kidnapped a complainant and took her to a nearby bush where he raped and sexually assaulted her before she managed to escape. In October 2016, he raped and sexually assaulted another complainant known to him. In September 2021, he kidnapped a third complainant and took her to a vacant building where he restrained and raped her. He also assaulted her by stabbing her with a broken beer bottle before releasing her.
All three complainants reported the incidents to the police. Two were referred to the Chatsworth Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC), while the third was referred to the Umlazi TCC, where they received medical treatment and psychosocial support. The accused evaded arrest before DNA evidence linked him to all three cases, resulting in his arrest in March 2024.
During the trial, Prosecutor Tanuja Bechan led the evidence of nine witnesses, including the complainants, first report witnesses, medical practitioners who examined the victims, and the investigating officer. The State also presented Victim Impact Statements compiled by the complainants and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Prudence Geraud.
The statements detailed the devastating and lasting impact of the crimes. One complainant described experiencing sleeplessness, heightened fear, and the need to relocate to another area. Another explained that the incident had fundamentally changed her life, leaving her socially withdrawn and preferring isolation. The third complainant told the court that the ordeal had negatively affected every aspect of her life and robbed her of the future she had envisioned for herself.
The accused was sentenced to
Life imprisonment on each of the three counts of rape;
Fifteen years' imprisonment on each of the two counts of kidnapping;
Fifteen years' imprisonment for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm involving a minor; and
Five years' imprisonment on each of the two counts of sexual assault.
As the sentences will run concurrently, the accused will serve an effective sentence of life imprisonment.
In addition, the court declared him unfit to possess a firearm and ordered that his particulars be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
This successful prosecution forms part of the NPA's Serial Rapist Prioritisation Initiative, led by the Sexual Offences and Community Affairs (SOCA) Unit in partnership with the SAPS Serial and Electronic Crime Investigative Unit. The initiative focuses on the identification, investigation, and prosecution of serial rape cases across South Africa.
The NPA remains steadfast in its commitment to combating sexual offences and gender-based violence. This commitment is reinforced through the continued expansion of the Thuthuzela Care Centre network, which has grown from 55 centres in 2020/21 to 66 centres currently operating nationwide. These centres provide integrated medical, legal, and psychosocial services to survivors of sexual violence and continue to play a vital role in supporting victims and strengthening successful prosecutions.
Issued by:
Natasha Ramkisson-Kara
NPA Regional Spokesperson, KwaZulu-Natal Division