The Kroonstad Regional Court in the Free State has sentenced a 38-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping and robbing elderly women between 2012 and 2018.
Mofihli Tshabalala’s crimes against the women, aged between 60 and 78, were characterised by intimidation and the use of a knife.
Pattern of targeting vulnerable elderly women
He deliberately targeted elderly, vulnerable women in the Maokeng area.
The South African Police Service (Saps) said DNA linked Tshabalala to all the cases against him.
On the first incident, the court heard that a 78-year-old victim was on her way home from tending to her cattle near Maokeng on 19 July 2017, at about 10am.
Tshabalala, a man unknown to her, suddenly approached her and pulled her to a tree in the open field.
“He took out a knife and told her to keep quiet, or he would kill her,” Saps said in a statement on Friday.
“He instructed the complainant to undress, and then he raped her. After the incident, he left her there and ran away.”
Survivor testimonies reveal repeated violent attacks
In a separate incident, a 70-year-old woman told the court that she was returning home with a friend after chopping wood at around 11.30am on 21 June 2012, when Tshabalala approached them.
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Tshabalala, a stranger to them, tried to fight the friend, but the friend ran away.
Saps said he then took out a knife and told the woman to be quiet, or he would kill her.
Tshabalala instructed her to undress, proceeded to rape her, and left her there.
A third woman testified on how she was raped at Gelukwaarsts cemetery while she was with her aunt on 28 April 2016.
The 60-year-old told the court that Tshabalala approached them with a knife in hand and instructed her aunt to sit down.
Similar to the previous case, he instructed the complainant to undress and threatened to kill her if she made a noise.
Tshabalala then raped her and robbed them of their cellphones.
In another incident, a 65-year-old woman told the court how Tshabalala approached her and her neighbour while they were cutting grass in an open field on 11 July 2018.
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Using a similar modus operandi, Tshabalala produced a knife and instructed the neighbour to leave.
“He forced the complainant to undress herself, and he raped her. He left her there and ran away,” Saps said.
Prosecution outlined danger posed to community
National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said the state presented extensive evidence against him, including a compelling Victim Impact Statement compiled by court preparation officer Jabulani Tshabalala.
“Prosecutor Ntabeseng Motshabi argued for a life sentence, demonstrating the accused’s pattern of preying on elderly women over an extended period, his lack of remorse, and the danger he poses to society,” Senokoatsane said on Friday.
The court convicted Tshabalala on multiple counts of rape and robbery and imposed the following sentences:
- Count 1 (Rape): 10 years’ imprisonment
- Count 2 (Rape): 10 years’ imprisonment
- Count 3 (Robbery): 15 years’ imprisonment
- Count 4 (Robbery): 15 years’ imprisonment
- Count 5 (Rape): 10 years’ imprisonment
- Count 6 (Rape): Life imprisonment
- Count 7 (Robbery): 15 years’ imprisonment
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Court imposes life sentence and concurrent terms
The court ordered that the smaller sentences run concurrently with the life sentence and declared Tshabalala unfit to possess a firearm.
“The National Prosecuting Authority commends the prosecution and Saps investigation teams for their professionalism and dedication in securing justice for the victims,” Senokoatsane said.
“Communities must be safe environments for women, children, and all vulnerable individuals, free from violence and exploitation.”
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