Polokwane: The Polokwane High Court has convicted and sentenced a 32-year-old male, Mahlatse Tolonyane Mathote Matebane, from Manapyane Village, to an effective 25 years of direct imprisonment for a series of violent crimes committed across the policing areas of Motetema, Rakgoadi, and Dennilton under the Sekhukhune District.
According to South African Police Service, the sentence follows extensive investigations conducted by Detective Sergeant Raymond Phago, attached to the Sekhukhune District Investigation and Tracking Task Team, who successfully linked the accused to several cases of rape, attempted murder, robbery, housebreaking, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
The crimes were committed between 2020 and 2023. In the first incident, which occurred on 10 August 2020, a 20-year-old victim from Motetema was attacked while returning from a local tuckshop. The accused, blaming the victim for reporting him to the police, dragged her to nearby bushes, threatened to kill her, and raped her without protection. The traumatised victim later reported the matter to the police.
In another incident on 15 September 2020 in Rakgoadi policing area, an 18-year-old schoolgirl hitchhiking from Mamphokgo Village to Moeding Village to write her trial examinations was attacked by the accused. The court noted that the accused threatened the victim with a firearm, forced her into nearby bushes, and raped her before fleeing into the mountains.
On 13 February 2021, a 32-year-old male victim was at a tuckshop in Mafisheng Village, Rakgoadi policing area, when he was confronted by the same accused. Following a brief altercation, the accused drew a firearm and shot the victim multiple times on the thigh, arm, and shoulder blade. The victim managed to escape and later sought medical assistance at a local hospital.
Through persistent investigation and the collection of critical evidence, Detective Sergeant Phago managed to connect the accused to several additional offences, including robbery with aggravating circumstances, housebreaking with intent to rape, attempted murder, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
On 30 October 2025, the Polokwane High Court found the accused guilty on nine counts and imposed the following sentences: 25 years for rape (Motetema), 10 years for rape (Rakgoadi), 25 years for rape (Motetema), 8 years for housebreaking with intent to rape (Motetema), 10 years for attempted murder (Rakgoadi), 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances (Motetema), 10 years for attempted murder (Motetema), 15 years for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition (Motetema), and 2 years for escaping from lawful custody (Dennilton). The total sentence amounted to 125 years’ imprisonment. The court, however, ordered that counts two to nine run concurrently with count one, resulting in an effective sentence of 25 years’ direct imprisonment.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Major General Jan Scheepers, has commended the investigating officer and all members involved in ensuring that justice was served. ‘This sentencing sends a clear message that gender-based violence and acts of brutality will not be tolerated. The dedication of our investigators in linking the accused to multiple cases is commendable and demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting vulnerable members of our communities,’ said Major General Scheepers.