MBOMBELA – A 27-year-old rapist will spend the remainder of his days behind bars for his merciless acts of forcing women to have sex with him.
These are crimes he committed around the KaNyamazane, Zwelisha and KaBokweni areas from 2006 to 2013. He was sentenced to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to the rape of seven females.
The Pretoria High Court seated in Mbombela heard that Mr Mxolisi Bubu Shongwe (27) raped five women, one teenager and one minor over a six-year period. He blamed his crimes on his distorted state of mind following the death of his mother in 2006.
On December 6, 2007 Shongwe met two girls aged 11 and 13, who were selling vegetables on the streets of KaNyamazane. He forced them into the bush and raped them.
Also Read: Serial rapist to appear in court
On January 12, 2008, he threatened a 20-year-old woman with a firearm while she alighted from a taxi in KaNyamazane. He forced her to walk to a nearby soccer field where raped her. The court also heard that on May 14, 2011 Shongwe, with an unknown accomplice, approached a 22-year-old woman at Zwelisha. The accomplice kept a lookout while Shongwe raped the victim.
On August 12, 2012 a 23-year-old woman was walking in Clau Clau when the rapist approached her from behind. He threatened her with a knife and raped her.
On July 26, 2013 he approached a 31-year-old victim in KaBokweni. She was threatened with a knife, forced into a bush and raped. His last victim, a 30-year-old woman, was targeted on October 31, 2013 in Clau Clau. The woman was on her way to work when he approached her and lured her to a secluded area. He instructed her to undress and raped her.
He pleaded guilty on all charges and asked the judge, Ms Zeenat Carelse, to be merciful in sentencing him. He said he had gone on a raping spree following the death of his mother, who died of cancer in 2006. State advocate, Mr John Maenga, said he was not sure that Shongwe’s remorse was genuine.
When passing the verdict, Carelse said the community expected her to deliver a just sentence. She sentenced Shongwe to two life plus five 10-year jail sentences, which will all run concurrently.
