Tongaat’s suspected serial rapist arrested

The long manhunt for an alleged serial rapist and robber operating in Tongaat and surrounding areas has finally come to an end.

Provincial Crime Intelligence, Umhlali K9, Tongaat SAPS and local indunas arrested a 32-year-old man at Mngweni area in Tongaat on Sunday.

The man was wanted for a number of housebreaking and rape cases.

Police believed he was targeting women in Fairbreeze, Manzamnyama and Wewe and would select homes where there were no males present before robbing and raping the women.

Fifteen cases from April 2014 to March 2015 of a similar nature were reported by the rape survivors who all gave the same descriptions of the suspect.

An identity kit was compiled and distributed to the communities in and around the Tongaat area.

SAPS spokesperson Major Thulani Zwane said in a press release that because the man did not spend two nights in one place, the task of finding him was a challenge.

“After months of hard work by Provincial Crime Intelligence working together with Tongaat SAPS and the local community the suspect was finally arrested,” said Zwane.

He was found in possession of some stolen goods, believed to have been taken during the house robberies he was wanted in connection with.

He will be charged with multiple counts of house robberies and rape and is expected to appear in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on April 7.