A serial rapist who was terrorising the community of Nkomazi in Mpumalanga was sentenced to five life terms by the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela on Wednesday. Given Mnisi (42) preyed on the defenceless young women, mostly in the area of Nkomazi between the 2010 and 2015. 

SERIAL RAPIST

Mpumalanga National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, said that Mnisi's terror began on 01 November 2010 when he raped a teenager who was 15-years-old at the time. The victim was returning from church when she was accosted by Mnisi who took her to an unfinished house in Mangweni near Tonga and raped her twice. "On 30 March 2011, another female victim who was 20-years-old at the time was raped by Mnisi. The victim was returning from buying bread at a spaza shop nearby when Mnisi appeared from behind and grabbed her by the neck, pulled out a firearm and threatened to kill her, claiming that he already killed other females who did not cooperate with him," Nyuswa said adding that Mnisi then stabbed her with a knife on the elbows then dragged her to a nearby bushes where she was raped repeatedly.

MORE RAPES

Mnisi raped a 13 year old at the time. He kidnapped the girl from outside her house, took her took her to a certain house and raped her. The incident took place at Block B near Tonga on 24 August 2012. In December 2012, he raped a 16-year-old at Boschfontein. According to Nyuswa, the victim was asleep inside the house with her younger brother, who was aged four and their mother who was sick. "It was during this period when Mnisi somehow got inside the house then raped her before he fled the scene," she said. Nyuswa further said that Mnisi also raped another female, who was 15-years-old at the time in Naas near Tonga on 02 November 2013. "It is said that the victim was sleeping at home when she was attacked by the accused and his accomplice. The two then broke into the house and forcefully dragged her outside into an unfinished house. The accomplice is said to have left before the accused raped her. The accused further raped another woman who was aged 19 at the time and the incident occurred at Block C near Tonga on 08 September 2015 around 22h00. 

END TO HIS REIGN OF TERROR

Mnisi's reign of terror came to an end when he raped a girl who was 15-years-old in Gauteng in June 2022. Mnisi had pretended to be a sangoma and the victim went to consult him and asked for assistance in getting a job. "Upon arrival, the accused ordered the victim to remove her clothes and to wear traditional blankets. After changing the clothes, Mnisi offered her some liquid substance to drink before he could take her documents. The victim passed out while drinking the said liquid and woke up to find Mnisi raping her," Nyusa added. After the incident, she reported the matter to Primrose SAPS and Mnisi was arrested on 02 July 2022 and granted R1 000 bail. The investigations by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in Mpumalanga pointed that Mnisi was the one behind the series of rapes that were reported in the Nkomazi area. When the accused appeared at the Germiston Magistrates Court in January 2023, the FCS Unit from Mpumalanga nabbed him then charged him for the said rape cases committed in various policing precincts in the Nkomazi area.

PLEADING GUILTY

On 07 May 2024, the accused pleaded guilty to all charges levelled against him, although his defence attorneys successfully negotiated for the withdrawal of other charges that were reported, except for the rape charges. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for fifteen counts of rape.