Man gets two life terms for rape, murder of colleague and stuffing her body in shaft

A Gauteng High Court judge sentenced a man who raped and murdered a woman in a government building in Tshwane in 2017 to two double life sentences, describing him as an evil and violent man who should be removed from society.

Piet Mabotja was sentenced in the Gauteng High Court sitting in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday where acting Judge Peet Johnson delivered a scathing judgment.

Johnson sentenced him to two terms of life imprisonment and an additional 57 years behind bars.

News24 previously reported that Mabotja, 35, had pleaded guilty to eight charges, including the rape and murder of Nomathamsanqa Regina Majola, 28, in December 2017.

He and Majola worked as contracted cleaners at the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries building in the capital city. He lured her to a secluded area, raped and strangled her to death and disposed of her body in a maintenance shaft.

He also pleaded guilty to the rape of another woman near Stanza Bopape Clinic in Mamelodi in September 2018. She was with her boyfriend at the time.

Mabotja’s plea explanation was accepted by the court, which officially found him guilty on 27 February.

“You had no respect for the deceased’s body integrity or her life. It won’t be far-fetched to say that you don’t deserve to be among us,” Johnson said.

“You are an evil man and a danger to society and should be removed from us as far and for as long as possible. All indications are that you are a violent person with a violent nature and the community should be protected against you.”

Johnson found that Majola’s murder was premeditated as was disposing of her body in a maintenance shaft because Mabotja was worried she would lay a charge of rape against him.

Johnson also remarked about the parole system as Mabotja was on parole when he murdered and raped Majola and raped the woman in Mamelodi. He called it an aggravating circumstance.

Mabotja was previously found guilty of murder and attempted rape in KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2007 but only served about eight years before being released on parole in November 2015. His parole was supposed to end in 2024.

“One cannot shut your eyes to the reality that many violent crimes these days are committed by persons on parole,” Johnson said.

“I shall refrain from criticising the fact that you were sentenced to 18 years in prison for murder and rape on 1 February 2007 and was then released on parole on 27 November 2015, not even halfway to serving your sentence.

“All I can say is that this is a very unsatisfactory state of affairs and deserves very serious consideration. Flaws in the parole system cannot prevail and should be addressed as a matter of urgency.

“One can only but express the wish that should you become eligible for parole in future, the flaws in the system would have been addressed and rectified.”

Johnson further said it was commendable that Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola had shown concern and taken a proactive approach to address flaws in the parole system.

The court also addressed matters of femicide, saying that such cases have become the rule, rather than the exception.

“No less than five of the seven cases on my court roll this term are femicide cases. Criminal courts are flooded with these types of cases,” Johnson said.

“Something is very wrong in our society where men have little or no regard for the rights of women, who are classified as a vulnerable group.”

Johnson said the courts do not have an answer to the problem. He said it can merely apply the law and hand out appropriate sentences to people like Mabotja, who wanted to satisfy his lust for intercourse and then covered up his crime by killing Majola and disposing of her body in the most humiliating way thinkable.

Johnson said he found no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentences. He said Mabotja’s guilty plea was not an act of remorse, but rather because the evidence against him was overwhelming.

The court sentenced Mabotja to life imprisonment for Majola’s rape and another life term for her murder.

Mabotja, who also robbed Majola of her cellphone and bankcard and withdrew R4,000 from her account, was sentenced to 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and a further two years for theft.

He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for obstructing the administration of justice because he hid her body in a maintenance shaft.

Mabotja also received a 10-year sentence for the rape of the woman in Mamelodi. He was sentenced to an additional 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances after he assaulted and stole cellphones from the victim’s boyfriend.

During the crime in Mamelodi, Mabotja had a firearm on him, which he used to threaten the victim and her boyfriend. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for possession of an unlicensed firearm.

The sentences will run concurrently in line with the Correctional Services Act.

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