Wanted man linked to 18 rape cases arrested

Gauteng police have a arrested a man linked to multiple rape cases committed over a period of 10 years.

Police spokesperson Mathapelo Peters said on Sunday the man was arrested in Ennerdale, Johannesburg, over the weekend following a crime-intelligence driven operation against the backdrop of a taxi violence-related murder reported at Evaton, north of Sebokeng in February this year.

Peters said the man has been linked to 18 rape cases committed over a period of 10-years in Meadowlands, Orlando and other parts of Soweto.

She said Gauteng police had also communicated with KwaZulu-Natal police to establish possible links with various serious and violent crimes reported in Madadeni, Bergville, Harrismith and Estcourt between 2018 and 2019.

"Further investigations are under way and will continue until police are satisfied that all possibilities of links to previous crimes have been exhausted."

Gauteng provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela applauded the team for the  "diligence and commitment" shown during the deployment of the respective joint disciplines.

"Integration of resources has yet again proven to be valuable in the tracing of most wanted suspects whom police have, in many instances, found to be repeat offenders responsible for a large percentage of serious and violent crimes.

"This breakthrough must serve as motivation for our members to continue the hard work and rid our streets and communities of hardened criminals," Mawela said.