42 life terms plus 791 years for Ekurhuleni Serial Rapist
Judge Lesego Makolomakwe said Phakathi was not genuinely remorseful and had only pleaded guilty due to the overwhelming evidence the State had against him.
Tensions ran high in the courtroom as victims of Nkosinathi Phakathi, the Ekurhuleni Serial Rapist, struggled to contain their emotions during his sentencing in the Pretoria High Court, sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on October 4.
Many of the victims, overwhelmed by the trauma they had endured, were visibly shaken and fought back tears.
Some shouted insults at Phakathi, expressing their anger and pain, while he remained unbothered, keeping his face down to prevent the media from taking pictures.
He was sentenced to 42 life terms and an additional 791 years plus six months of direct imprisonment.
Phakathi’s conviction follows a lengthy trial that revealed his involvement in a string of rapes and sexual assaults that occurred between 2012 and March 2021 in several areas in Ekurhuleni.
He was found guilty in November last year of 90 charges of rape, four compelled rape, three of causing a child to witness a sexual act, 43 kidnapping, four theft, two sexual assault and two charges of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Judge Lesego Makolomakwe said Phakathi was not genuinely remorseful and had only pleaded guilty due to the overwhelming evidence the State had against him.
“The deceit and manipulation used by the accused to undermine the victims and their parents, along with the fact that in some of these rape incidents he was armed, indicate that the offences were meticulously planned and premeditated.”
Makolomakwe said she took into account the after effects, as detailed in the victim impact reports, which indicate that the incidents were extremely traumatic for the victims, with some still experiencing flashbacks, especially when they are alone.
“Some of these victims live in fear, and their families have also been affected.
“I considered the personal circumstances of the accused, particularly his clean record, as well as the violence used during the commission of the offences against minor children, some of whom were on their way to school and wearing school uniforms.”
She also noted the seriousness of Phakathi’s crimes, which fall under gender-based violence (GBV), a pervasive issue in the country.
The court, she said, must send a strong message to deter other perpetrators.
“The country is facing a GBV pandemic. The rape statistics induce a sense of shock and disbelief. The violence in many rape incidents causes resentment, anger, and outrage. Although the government has introduced various programmes to prevent these acts, the sexual abuse of women and children continues unabated,” she said.
Phakathi’s victims were between 9 and 44 years old.
His modus operandi was to con his victims by posing as a meter box or geyser installer, home inspector or food distributor. He would also approach victims by asking them for directions.
He was arrested in March 2021 in Barcelona, Etwatwa, after police searched for him for years.
Phakathi’s leg was amputated as a result of an injury he sustained when he was shot on the day of his arrest.
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