South Africa: Serial Rapist Sentenced To 83 Years Imprisonment

A South African court on Friday, February 24, 2023, sentenced a 29-year-old serial rapist to 83 years of direct imprisonment after he was found guilty of five counts of rape, five counts of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and one count of sexual assault.

Moses Charles Mahlangu was found guilty and given a sentence by the Kwaggafontein Regional Court. 

He committed his rape spree in the Kwaggafontein neighbourhood of Vlaklaagte between August 2017 and May 2019.

NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said: “Mahlangu would target women walking in a pathway between Gembokspruit and Vlaaklagte number 2, threaten them with a sharp object resembling a screwdriver, force them to the bush and rape them.

“He would sometimes rob them of their belongings like cell phones.

"Cases were opened and the accused was traced via a recovered cellphone and was subsequently linked to other rapes through DNA.”

The defendant refuted the accusations made against him, and state prosecutor Nicky Coetzer presented testimony from the victims who described how the defendant ran into them on the road connecting Gembokspruit and Vlaklaagte.

“They told the court about how they suffered at the hands of the accused, and the evidence was supported by positive DNA, linking Mahlangu with the crime of rape. 

"Coetzer, handed in victim impact statements, detailing how the rape incidents impacted them.

“Magistrate Greyvenstein found the accused guilty as charged,” said Nyuswa.

After hearing from the victims, the court concluded that there were no significant or compelling reasons to depart from the legal minimum sentence and sentenced the defendant by the law.

The court also ruled that the defendant was unfit to own a gun and required that his name be added to the National Register of Sexual Offenders.

“The NPA acknowledged the good work done by the prosecution and the investigating team in delivering justice to the victims of gender-based violence,” said Nyuswa.