Serial rapist from Mpumalanga sentenced to life imprisonment plus 110 years

The man was arrested by police and linked to the crimes through DNA analysis.

Inmates in South African prisons are entitled to a parole hearing after serving one-third of their sentence.

If sentenced to life imprisonment, such a hearing shall not be considered until the person has served at least 25 years of the sentence.

Now a man from Mpumalanga has been sentenced to life imprisonment plus 110 years, in addition to being a serial rapist.

Nkosikhona Ntshalintshali (36) committed a series of rapes in Piet Retief between November 2008 and June 2009. The crimes were committed in Mafred Homes, Phola Park and Kempville Magadeni Section in Piet Retief.

Nkosikhona broke into his victims’ homes, threatened them with a knife and robbed them of their valuables. He sometimes assaulted them. Some of the victims were attacked on the street and dragged to remote areas.

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The Breyten High Court heard that in one case, Nkosikhona, along with two unknown assailants, continued his rape spree on June 5, 2009, when they confronted two complainants – a man and a woman – who were walking on the street in the Kempville Magadeni district.

“Nkosikhona and his accomplices demanded the victims’ mobile phones and attacked a man with a knobkierie, injuring his leg and taking away his shoes. Nkosikhona also threatened a woman with a knife, after which all three took turns to rape her and then fled the scene with her clothes.”

He was arrested in 2020 and linked to the crimes through DNA evidence. In order to increase the sentence, senior public prosecutor Themba Lusenga argued that although Nkosi had expressed regret, he had shown no remorse for his actions.

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“The level of violence used to commit these crimes was so serious that they can be brushed aside and left unpunished.”

The court could not find any substantial and compelling circumstances that would have justified a deviation from the prescribed sentence.

Nkosikhona, who pleaded guilty to four counts of rape, four counts of robbery with aggravated circumstances, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of burglary with criminal intent, was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 110 years in prison.

The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm under Section 103 of the Arms Control Act No. 60 of 2000.