DURBAN – On 11 June 2021, the Madadeni High Court sentenced Ntokozo Calvin Thabethe (33) to ten life imprisonment for charges of rape and 59 years for charges of robbery with intent to rape, burglary and theft.

His sentence came after the court heard how Thabethe terrorised the defenceless women in Vryheid since 2010. His modus operandi was to target women who are leaving in the early hours to work, those who were walking alone as well as elderly women. The accused would drag the victims to a secluded area where he would rape them repeatedly.

In another case, on 26 April 2011, a 49-year-old woman was busy selling in Vryheid when she went into a nearby bushes to release herself. While she was busy, she saw an unknown man who demanded money and raped her. Another 33-year-old victim survived when she was on the way to work, when she was dragged into the bushes by the accused. She was raped and tied with the grass on the ground by the accused on 18 May 2015. The cases were reported from 2010 and 2018. The cases were investigated by Vryheid Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.

With little information at hand regarding the culprit, investigation officer assigned to investigate the docket managed to nail the accused after a lengthy investigation. In 2018, the accused was finally arrested in Vryheid. He was positively linked to ten charges of rape, robbery, burglary and theft. A well prepared docket was presented at court and a successful conviction and sentence was secured.

Source: South African Police Service