Nkosinathi Phakathi, deemed one of South Africa’s worst serial rapists, was sentenced to 42 life sentences, on Friday.
Story Summary:
- Ekurhuleni serial rapist Nkosinathi Phakathi has been sentenced to 42 life terms and an additional 51 sentences of 10 years each for his reign of terror that lasted from 2012 to 2021.
- Phakathi, convicted of 148 charges, preyed on women and children in Ekurhuleni.
Nkosinathi Phakathi sentence: Here’s everything we know
In addition to the life sentences, he received 51 10-year sentences and several five-year terms for theft, forced witness acts, and kidnapping.
The court also deemed Phakathi unfit to own a firearm and placed his name on the national register for sex offenders.
His crimes were described as some of the most egregious in recent South African history, and he was ordered to give evidence in any future related criminal cases.
Phakathi, who had been in custody since his arrest in March 2021, terrorised the Ekurhuleni area for nearly a decade, targeting mostly young women, with the youngest victim being nine years old.
The sordid crimes Phakathi was convicted of
Phakathi’s criminal spree spanned nearly a decade, beginning in 2012 and continuing until his arrest in 2021.
He was convicted of 90 counts of rape, 43 counts of kidnapping, and four counts of compelled sexual assault, among other charges.
His victims were mainly women and children in the areas of Daveyton, Putfontein, Crystal Park, and Etwatwa in Ekurhuleni.
The court heard harrowing testimony from victims and learned that Phakathi would often follow his victims before raping them, sometimes forcing them out of their homes in the early hours of the morning.
He was known for using verbal threats, physical force, and in some cases, a knife.
Despite attempts to evade capture and even seek religious intervention, Phakathi continued his reign of terror.
His crimes shocked his family, who described him as a loving father and caring family member, and his mother expressed her deep sorrow, saying she would have had him arrested if she had known the extent of his actions.