The man preyed on the women by attacking them in their homes at night while they were sleeping.
A 55-year-old KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) man has been sentenced to 55 years in prison for the rape of five women between February 2017 and August 2023.
Thanduxolo Manganyela appeared in the Mtubatuba Regional Court, where the sentence was handed down.
Prison
He was also convicted of theft for stealing a cellphone belonging to one of his victims.
Manganyela was sentenced to 55 years’ imprisonment for the rape counts, and two years for theft, with the court ordering the sentence to run concurrently.
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He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm, and the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
Charges
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said Manganyela’s victims were adults, and that the offences took place in the Emakhowe, Hluhluwe and KwaMsane areas.
Manganyela and the complainants were unknown to each other. He was charged and convicted of four counts of rape, for which the minimum sentence for the offence was 10 years’ imprisonment.
“The fifth count of rape carried the minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment. In all these charges, the court sentenced him to the minimum sentence for the offences,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
Trial
During the trial, state prosecutor Phumlani Khoza led the testimonies of all the women, as well as the evidence of the J88 forms.
Ramkisson-Kara said Manganyela was linked to all the women via DNA, and evidence was handed in to the court.
“In addition, Khoza handed in Victim Impact Statements facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Sthembile Cebekhulu and compiled by some of the complainants. One of the complainants mentioned that her boyfriend had left her after he learned that she had been raped.
“She said that she now fears for her girl child, following what happened to her. Another complainant said that she feels useless and does not feel like a human being anymore. One other complainant said that she is unable to sleep with the lights off. She said that she has become moody, and she is always angry,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
Rapes
According to the NPA, Manganyela preyed on the women using the same modus operandi by attacking them in their homes at night while they were sleeping.
“In one instance, he raped an aunt and niece who were living together, while in another instance, he raped a mother in the presence of her minor children. Following the rapes, he would ask the complainants to cover themselves with blankets, and he fled the scene,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
“The complainants reported the offences to the police, and buccal swabs of DNA evidence were taken from them. Manganyela was eventually arrested when one of the complainants saw him walking around in her neighbourhood and alerted the police.”
Ramkisson-Kara said the NPA remains committed to the fight against the scourge of gender-based violence.
“We will continue to ensure that justice is delivered swiftly and decisively.”
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