Serial rapist who terrorised Nkomazi area in Mpumalanga handed four life terms

A serial rapist, who preyed on defenceless young women in the Nkomazi area of Mpumalanga between 2010 and 2015, has been handed down four life sentences.

Given Mnisi, 42, was sentenced by the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela on Monday after seven incidents involving young women. A move that was praised by the Mpumalanga provincial commissioner of the Saps, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela.

Teen girl, 15, raped twice

The first incident happened on 1 November 2010 around 6.45pm. Mnisi twice raped a 15-year-old girl who was returning from church, at a house under construction in Mangweni, near Tonga.

On 30 March 2010 around 8pm, a 20-year-old was returning from buying bread at a spaza shop when Mnisi suddenly appeared from behind, grabbed her by the neck, pulled out a firearm and threatened to kill her.

He also claimed that he killed other women who didn’t cooperate with him before the victim was stabbed with a knife on the elbows and then dragged to a nearby bush and raped.

The third incident happened on 24 August 2012 when Mnisi raped a 13-year-old girl at Block B near Tonga at around 8pm.

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The victim was playing outside the gate of her home when Mnisi suddenly appeared out of nowhere again, grabbed her while she was screaming, and then he threatened to kill her. The girl was then taken to a house and raped.

Victim raped outside her home

Mnisi then raped a 16-year-old girl at Boschfontein on 8 December 2012. The girl was at home with her younger brother, four, and mother, who was not in good health.

When she stepped outside at around 1am she was raped before Mnisi fled the scene.

The fifth incident happened on 2 November 2013 when Mnisi raped a 15-year-old girl at Naas, near Tonga, while she was sleeping at home. She was attacked by Mnisi and his accomplice after the two broke into the house and dragged the victim into another unfinished house. According to the police, the accomplice left before Mnisi raped her.

On 8 September 2015, he raped another woman, who was 19. The victim was returning from evening classes at school when Mnisi attacked her with a knife. The victim was also robbed of her phone and money before being dragged into nearby bushes and then raped.

Terror ended after arrest in 2022

Mnisi’s terror ended after a 15-year-old girl was raped in Germiston, Gauteng on 29 June 2022 and she reported the matter to the Primrose police.

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The victim had gone to visit a sangoma to ask for assistance in getting a job when Mnisi, posing as a sangoma, ordered her to remove her clothes and wear traditional blankets.

After changing her clothes, Mnisi offered her a liquid substance to drink, which made her pass out. She woke up and found Mnisi raping her.

The suspect was finally arrested on 2 July 2022 but he was granted R1 000 bail.

However, the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit worked around the clock to investigate and gather information, which revealed to investigators that Mnisi was a serial rapist. He was charged with numerous rape cases in January 2023.

Mnisi pleaded guilty to all charges

On 7 May, Mnisi pleaded guilty to all the charges, which resulted in his conviction and the sentencing of four life terms.

Manamela said she appreciated the extensive work done by the investigative team, the prosecution team, and the judiciary, which led to the punishment against a gender-based violence perpetrator.

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“We are hopeful that the sentence will serve as a deterrence to perpetrators of heinous crimes against vulnerable groups. This is a typical example that there is punishment for perpetrators in this country,” said the general.