Johannesburg – The High Court in Grahamstown sentenced a 23-year-old serial rapist, Athenkosi Matyaleni from Molteno, to two life terms and 84 years for raping five females.
The youngest victim was 11 years old. Matyaleni’s rape spree started when he was only 19 years old and took place between December 2017 and May 2019.
Judge Thami Beshe further sentenced Matyaleni to 30 years for two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, three years for two counts of common robbery and 24 months for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, as he hit a woman with a glass bottle on the face during one of his rape incidents.
In December 2017, a 27-year-old woman was on her way from one tavern to another at night when Matyaleni grabbed her and dragged her into the bush. He drew a knife, threatened her to keep quiet and raped her more than once. He slapped her a number of times on the face in the process and took her cell phone. Matyaleni freed her afterwards and she went to report at the police station.
About three weeks later, a 28-year-old woman was on her way home at night when Matyaleni grabbed her. He dragged her to an outside toilet where he raped and robbed her of her cell phone. A community member saw the crime and called the police. When the police vehicle approached, Matyaleni ran away.
In February 2018, a 38-year-old woman was on her way to her boyfriend, in company of her cousin when Matyaleni grabbed her. He hit the cousin on her face with an empty glass bottle and ordered her to leave. The bottle broke on her face leaving her with a wound on her forehead. He dragged the victim to an empty shack, threatened her with the broken bottle, raped her more than once and robbed her of her tracksuit top and cell phone. She escaped and reported the matter to her cousin and boyfriend.
Three months later, a 11-year-old girl was picking wild fruit in the veld with her friends when Matyaleni appeared with a knife and started chasing the children. Unfortunately, the young girl fell down and he grabbed her. He took her into the bushes and raped her more than once. He left her there and she went home where she reported the crime.
He was ultimately arrested in May 2019 when his last victim confronted him and reported him to the police. The woman in her 40s was on her way home when Matyaleni accosted her, holding a screwdriver to her neck. He robbed her off her cell phone, cash and raped her. After the rape, Matyaleni left and the victim followed him to a certain house. She knocked on the door and confronted him. A few days later she took the police to the house.
During aggravation, Advocate Sharon Hendricks said there were no mitigating factors in his favour which amounted to substantial and compelling circumstances for the court to deviate from the discretionary minimum sentence. “The offences were committed over a lengthy period. He preyed on vulnerable women late at night and raped a child in broad daylight after taking her from her friends,” she said.
The NPA welcomes the sentence, which is a reflection of justice served for the victims of this heinous crime.
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