A South African man has been sentenced to 42 life terms after being convicted of 90 counts of rape, including the assault of young girls. Nkosinathi Phakathi, 40, carried out his brutal attacks in and around Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, over a nine-year period, from 2012 to 2021.
Phakathi targeted schoolgirls, assaulting some on their way to or from school, while others were attacked in their homes.According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), he often posed as an electrician to gain entry into victims’ residences before committing the crimes.
The court heard that Phakathi would also force children to witness the assaults. Judge Lesego Makolomakwe, delivering the verdict at the Johannesburg high court, condemned Phakathi’s actions as particularly heinous due to the vulnerability of his victims. The judge said, “Our courts have a duty to impose the appropriate sentences, especially when dealing with cases involving young, innocent, defenceless girls.”
Some victims were assaulted while dressed in school uniforms, others on their way to work, and several were violated within their homes, sometimes in the presence of their families, the judge added.
Phakathi appeared in court on crutches, dressed in a grey tracksuit, following a 2021 incident in which he was shot in the leg by police during his arrest. His crimes also included kidnapping, theft, and assault.
South Africa continues to grapple with a high rate of violent crime, including rape and murder. Recent police statistics indicate over 9,300 rapes were reported between April and June 2024.
Source Agencies
