The Vryheid Regional Court has sentenced a 46-year-old man today (Monday) to an effective 35 years behind bars for a string of violent crimes committed more than a decade ago.

Guilty plea to multiple charges

Thabani Innocent Zulu pleaded guilty to three counts of rape, as well as charges of common robbery and robbery with aggravating circumstances. The court heard that he targeted women he did not know, attacking them in the Vryheid area between November 2010 and April 2012.

Victims targeted and attacked

According to evidence placed before the court, Zulu accosted his victims in or near the Ngome forest, forcing them into the bush where he raped them. In two of the incidents, he also robbed the women, taking cellphones, a handbag and cash. A firearm was used during one of the robberies.

DNA evidence proves crucial

All three victims reported the attacks and underwent medical examinations at the time, with DNA evidence collected. Despite this, Zulu evaded arrest for years.

It was only in July 2021, after he had been convicted and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for four unrelated robberies in the Bulwer area, that a breakthrough came. A DNA-led investigation linked him to the earlier Vryheid cases, with further forensic testing confirming the match.

Court hears aggravating factors

During sentencing, prosecutor Kwazikwakhe Theophilus Sibiya described Zulu as a serial offender who showed no regard for the law or for the dignity and safety of his victims. The court was presented with medical reports and forensic evidence supporting the charges.

Sentence handed down

The court imposed minimum prescribed sentences, handing down 10 years’ imprisonment for each rape count, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, and five years for common robbery. Some of the sentences will run concurrently, resulting in a total of 35 years’ direct imprisonment.

Additional orders by the court

Zulu was also declared unfit to possess a firearm, and his name will be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.

NPA welcomes outcome

NPA regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara welcomed the outcome, saying the case demonstrated the justice system’s commitment to holding perpetrators accountable. “This sentence sends a strong message that those who commit gender-based violence will be traced, prosecuted and face the full might of the law,” she said.

Coordinated investigation highlighted

The National Prosecuting Authority said the conviction was the result of a targeted effort to track and prosecute serial rape offenders, involving close cooperation between specialised investigative units and prosecutors.

The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.