Serial rapist handed down hefty sentence

GA-MPHETHI/GA-SELALA – A 28 year-old serial rapist was on Friday, 11 October sentenced to an effective 70 years imprisonment for cases of rape, robbery with aggravating circumstances and kidnapping during 2020 and 2021.

The court heard that the accused, Gift Mathata Phelane, raped eight women aged between 17 and 35 during his reign of terror.

He met some of the victims through Facebook social media platform and applied a similar modus operandi, contacting the unsuspecting victims telephonically and inviting them for a job interview at the mines in Burgersfort.

Phelane would randomly meet with some of his victims on the streets and threaten them with a knife, raping them. He raped all his victims in bushes.

The court further heard that on April 2020, a victim aged 17 was walking in the afternoon when she came across two unknown men driving in a red vehicle. The men stopped the vehicle, one of them alighted and threatened the victim with a knife while forcing her into the vehicle.

One of the males reportedly dragged her out of the vehicle to the bushes at Ga-Mphethi Village where he raped, assaulted her in the process and robbed her of her belongings.

She was instructed to run away without looking back and she ran to a nearby household where she informed them about the ordeal. Her mother was called to the said household and the matter was reported to the police.

In another incident, a 34 year-old victim at the time, received a call from the accused, inviting her for a job interview at one of the mines in Burgersfort. On 5 July 2021, in the morning, the victim arrived at the said mine. The security guard there did not know the accused as mentioned by the victim.

The victim contacted him and he further directed her to his location around Ga-Selala Village. Upon arrival, they walked together from the tar road and deviated to a gravel walk path. He then walked behind her, where he suddenly produced a knife. He threatened her, ordered her to undress and ultimately raped her. After the rape, he robbed her of a cellphone and wallet containing money. The case was also reported to the police.

Detective Sergeant Jacob Letsatsi Mojalefa attached to the Burgersfort Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit was assigned to all the eight cases for further investigations.

Detective Sergeant Mojalefa traced the accused, positively linked him to the cases and subsequently arrested him through meticulous investigations.

The accused was found guilty and sentenced to an effective 70 years imprisonment. The Provincial Commissioner of South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the conviction and sentence.

General Hadebe also applauded the investigating officer and everyone involved in ensuring the court finally sentences the accused and justice is served to the victims and their families.