SERIAL RAPIST SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the effective sentence of life imprisonment imposed by the Richards Bay Regional Court on Sanele Dube (32) following his conviction on multiple counts of rape, murder, and theft.

Between 2016 and 2020, Dube targeted women and girls in the Hlomendlini, Mzingazi, Jozini, and KwaMbonambi areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal. The complainants were unknown to him and ranged in age from 13 to 27 years. Most of the victims were attacked in their homes and, in some instances, robbed of their cellphones. One of the victims, a minor, was accosted while on her way to school. She never returned home, and her body was discovered several days later. Investigations revealed that she had been raped and murdered.

DNA evidence collected from the crime scene was submitted to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for analysis. Following the reporting of the various incidents and the collection of forensic evidence, positive DNA results linked Dube to the offences, resulting in his arrest. The victims were referred to the KwaDukuza and Ngwelezane Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCCs), where they received comprehensive victim-centred services, including medical treatment, psychosocial support, and forensic examinations.

During the trial, Prosecutor Sethabile Dludla led the evidence of 58 witnesses, including complainants, first-report witnesses, medical practitioners, and a forensic expert from the FSL who testified regarding the DNA evidence linking Dube to the crimes. In aggravation of sentence, Prosecutor Dludla handed in Victim Impact Statements from all the complainants and the mother of the deceased victim. The statements were facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Mandisa Paulette Sikakane. The complainants described the profound and lasting impact of the offences on their lives, stating that they now live in fear, have become withdrawn from social activities, and no longer feel safe. They said that before the attacks they had enjoyed normal lives but now struggle with feelings of anxiety and insecurity. The mother of the deceased victim told the court that she had suffered immensely following the loss of her child. She stated that the tragedy had forced her to relocate and that she continues to live in fear.

Dube was sentenced as follows: ten years' imprisonment on each of the five counts of rape involving adult complainants; life imprisonment for the five counts of rape involving minor complainants; life imprisonment for the murder of one of the victims; and eighteen months' imprisonment for four counts of theft. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of life imprisonment. Dube was also declared unfit to possess a firearm, and the court ordered that his particulars be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.

This successful prosecution is the result 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 is focused 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 strengthened through the continued expansion of the Thuthuzela Care Centre network, which has grown from 55 centres in 2020/21 to 66 centres currently operating across the country. These centres provide integrated medical, legal, and psychosocial services to survivors of sexual violence and continue to play a critical role in supporting victims while contributing to the successful prosecution of offenders.

Working closely with criminal justice partners, the NPA will continue to ensure that survivors of sexual offences receive the support, dignity, and protection they deserve, while perpetrators are prosecuted without fear, favour, or prejudice and held fully accountable for their actions.

Issued by:

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara

NPA Regional Spokesperson

KwaZulu-Natal Division