Whilst out on bail, he allegedly raped 13 women.
Image for illustrative purposes. Picture: iStock
Police have captured a 36‑year‑old suspected serial rapist in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), ending a 16‑year manhunt linked to the brutal rape of 14 women across Zululand district and Gauteng.
The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit detectives in Ulundi handcuffed the suspect in the Ncotshane area in Nongoma on Sunday, 21 September 2026.
According to police, the suspected serial rapist started by raping a woman at Mahlabathini in January 2010.
Rape while out on bail
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said officers closed in on the suspect and arrested him; however, he was released on bail.
“He absconded from court, and a warrant for his arrest was issued. Whilst out on bail, he allegedly raped seven women in Pongola, four women in Primrose and Germiston in Gauteng province, and one woman each in Paulpietersburg and Magudu policing precincts.”
Modus operandi
Netshiunda said his modus operandi was to break either a window or a door of the houses of women who were staying alone and threatened them with a knife.
“During his arrest in 2010, police did due diligence in collecting evidence, and investigations linked him to all the cases through DNA analysis.”
Netshiunda said the suspect will appear in the Mahlabathini Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 21 September 2026, for his failure to appear in court in 2010, and thereafter he will be formally charged for the other 13 rape cases.
Serial rapist
Meanwhile, a 46‑year‑old suspected serial rapist who terrorised women in Cato Manor for more than a decade has been arrested following intensive investigations by specialised SAPS units.
Linked by DNA to 16 attacks across KZN and Gauteng, the suspect allegedly stalked women from taverns, broke into homes and assaulted victims at knife‑point.
Netshiunda said the arrest resulted from relentless investigative work.
“This suspect thought he could hide behind disguises and intimidation, but our teams never stopped connecting the dots. Through DNA analysis and careful profiling, we were able to link him to multiple cases and bring him to justice.”
Communities
Netshiunda emphasised the impact on communities
“For more than a decade, women in Cato Manor and beyond lived in fear of this predator. His arrest sends a clear message – the Saps will not rest until those who prey on vulnerable citizens are removed from our streets.”
He is expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 21 September 2026, on multiple charges of rape, housebreaking, and attempted murder.
