Judgment was passed on the man dubbed as Ekurhuleni's serial rapist Nkosinathi Phakathi. The 32-year -old appeared at the Palmridge Court on Tuesday where his fate was delivered by Judge Lesego Makolomakwe. The judge said Phakathi was found guilty on 90 counts of rape, several counts of kidnapping, and robberies. Last week Phakathi pleaded guilty to 148 charges tabled against him. Initially Phakathi faced 203 charges but 55 were withdrawn.
A NUMBER OF CHARGES
The rest of his charges include counts of sexual assault, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and theft. Phakathi whose leg was injured, after he was shot and had to be amputated after his arrest, has been in police custody since March 2021. His victims range from 12 years to 20 years and include males. Some of the male victims were forced to watch Phakathi when he raped his female victims. In 2015, he forced a 14 year old to rape two 15-year -old girls.
FAMILY LIVING IN SHAME
Phakathi went on his reign of terror for nearly a decade. His first victim was a 12-year-old in 2012, from that day on Phakathi went on to target his victims from various locations in Ekurhuleni. He only stopped because he was arrested over a year ago. Phakathi's cousin Joel Msiza (62) said he feels shamed by all this. "He brought our family into disrepute, what he did was monstrous and inhumane. I even struggle to look at him because our neighbours hate us because of what he did. I walk in shame in the streets and those who know that we are from the same family, regularly pass remarks and I don't blame them."
HE DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE ON THE STREETS
Phakathi's last victim was a woman he raped repeatedly on the 23rd of February 2022.His indictment revealed that he knocked at the woman's house as if he was looking for the woman's mother. He asked for the mother 's contacts and the woman went to grab a pen to write it down for him. He followed her inside and told her that he was a criminal and would stab her if she doesn't do as he says. Phakathi raped the woman several times with and without a condom and then left. Sharol Dlamini, who is a GBV brigade for Community Safety said she was happy that Phakathi was found guilty. " I hope the day we come back for the sentencing they give him life. He doesn't deserve to be on the streets and walk as free man after all that he did," she said.
