Suspect confesses to being Sunday Rapist

The man who was arrested for the murder of Louise de Waal has confessed to being the Sunday Rapist, police said.

The man faces at least 30 separate charges of kidnapping and raping teenage girls in Gauteng and North West, including that of De Waal.

Soon after the man's brief appearance in the Krugersdorp Magistrate's Court yesterday, police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Tshisikhawe Ndou told reporters: "On Friday he confessed to the 10 charges of the Sunday Rapist."

The confession was made in front of a magistrate at the Krugersdorp Magistrate's Court.

Police know of at least 10 separate cases relating to the Sunday Rapist dating back to November 2008.

A provisional charge sheet was drawn up yesterday which includes one charge of murder for 17-year-old De Waal, who was abducted when she was on her way to school with a friend last Wednesday. Her burnt body was found on a farm in the Magaliesberg later the same day.

The man faces a further 13 charges of rape, six of sexual assault and 10 charges of kidnapping.

Prosecutor Carina Coetzee told the court it is likely that more charges will be added as she is "still awaiting more complainants".

"We don't know who else will come forward as possible complainants," she said.

Yesterday, the regional court room was packed to capacity with journalists, photographers and curious spectators fascinated by the alleged serial rapist, waiting to catch a glimpse of the man.

A distraught Anna Farmer, mother of Pretoria teen Lazanne, sat in the front row of the public gallery with a few friends.

Lazanne fell from a bakkie while trying to escape the Sunday Rapist in September last year. She was kidnapped with a friend, who was allegedly raped by the man.

When the accused finally walked up the stairs from the holding cells into the courtroom, he was completely unidentifiable.

Wearing khaki trousers and a blue anorak with a hood pulled tightly over his head, he remained bent over, holding a white sheet of A4 paper over his face.

Before court proceedings began, Coetzee said if more Sunday Rapist victims come forward then "there might be an occasion where the state needs to have an ID parade".

Due to this possibility, no photos or video footage that identifies the man can be published.

Throughout proceedings the suspect's head was bowed between his legs as he hid his face from cameras.

His attorney, Jacques van Heerden, said his client had "indicated that he wants a speedy finalisation of the particular matter" and did not apply for bail.

Coetzee said she needed "almost two months" to finalise outstanding forensic evidence before the trial could begin properly.

Investigating officer Peet du Toit left the court clutching a thick file titled "Serial Rapist Case File".

The case was postponed to December 13.