The accused was convicted on one count of attempted sexual assault, three counts of rape, and three counts of kidnapping.

The name of the accused has been withheld to protect the identities of the victims and prevent secondary victimisation.

 The court further declared the accused unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.

The accused pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The court heard evidence that between 2019 and 2022, the accused threatened his victims with a knife before forcing them into nearby bushes, abandoned houses, or his homestead, where he raped them.

 The accused was unknown to the victims but was subsequently linked to the offenses through DNA evidence, which led to his arrest.

In aggravation of sentence, State Advocate Elelwani Sarah Mufamadi submitted that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to warrant a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentences. She argued that the accused showed no remorse for sexually violating the victims. Furthermore, it is clear from the victim impact statements that the survivors remain deeply traumatised by the ordeal.

 The state concluded that the court must send a clear message to the community that perpetrators of such heinous crimes will be dealt with harshly by the courts.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the Limpopo Division, Adv. Ivy Thenga stated that all cases of sexual violence severely encroach on the rights to dignity, bodily integrity, and privacy of victims as enshrined in the Constitution, which is why the NPA aggressively prosecutes these offences.

The DPP commended the excellent work done by Advocate Mufamadi, the investigating team, and all stakeholders involved in securing this significant conviction.

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