SERIAL rapist, Mhlonishwa Ellias Mathebula (33), from Mtwalume was handed a total of 315 years’ imprisonment in the Scottburgh Regional Court last week for 18 counts of rape during his six year reign of terror.
Mathebula commenced his reign of terror in July, 2008, preying on vulnerable and defenceless women. He committed his reprehensible crimes from the mid-south down to the lower South Coast with rape cases registered with the SAPS in Umzinto, Dududu, Scottburgh, Hibberdene, Msinsini, Mehlomnyama, Southport and Port Shepstone.
Police heaved a huge sigh of relief when he was finally arrested in Mehlomnyama, near Port Shepstone, on March 8, 2013 by a specially established task team.
Colonel Jay Naicker, police spokesman, said that determined to put an end to his raping spree, a task team comprising of members from the Port Shepstone Tactical Response Team (TRT) and the Port Shepstone Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) was established to track down and arrest him.
“The evasive rapist has been likened to a ‘springbok’ by some as he never stayed in one place for long. Despite having a right arm that is amputated below the elbow, Mathebula is extremely strong, agile and quick on his feet,” he said.
All of the 18 cases were investigated by the Umzinto FCS.
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, said, “The number of convictions and sentencing of sexual offenders in our
province recently is heartening as it is an indication of our success in fighting crime and ridding society of miscreants. Mathebula’s reign of terror is finally over and the public can take comfort in the fact that he will not be able to destroy any more innocent lives.”
