Unforgivable deeds deserve life in jail: Cousin of Ekurhuleni serial rapist

Judgment in the trial of Ekurhuleni serial rapist Nkosinathi Emmanuel Phakathi, 32, is expected next week after his guilty plea statement was read to the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court on Wednesday.

Acting judge Lesego Makolomakwe said she will deliver her judgment on Tuesday, November 8.

Phakathi’s lawyer Adv Letau Kgobane read his guilty plea statement after this client pleaded guilty to all charges on Tuesday.

He faced 148 charges — including rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, theft and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Phakathi initially faced 203 charges but National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the state dropped 55 charges. Prosecutor Salome Scheepers said Phakathi is linked to at least 93 rape cases.

Reading the guilty plea, Kgobane told the court his client conceded to approaching his victims in the street and threatening them with a knife, luring them to nearby bushes where he would force them to undress and then raping them.

In other instances, Phakathi would go to his victims’ homes under the false pretence of looking for menial work, only to pull out a gun and threaten them. Once inside the house, he would take them to the bedroom and rape them.

While his guilty plea was being read, Phakathi sat with his head and hands resting on his crutches. 

Phakathi terrorised women within the Ekurhuleni metro for nine years. He was arrested at Barcelona section in Etwatwa in March last year. His alleged rape spree dates back to 2012, with victims aged between 12 and 20 years, in the east of Benoni, including Daveyton, Putfontein and Crystal Park.

Phakathi’s cousin Joel Msiza, 62, was present in court when the guilty plea was read.

Msiza said he is happy that Phakathi pleaded guilty.  

“The court should give him life [imprisonment]. What he did is terrible and unforgivable,’’ said Msiza.

Nini Mdluli from the Community Safety Gender-based Violence Brigade said Phakathi has shown no remorse for the crimes he committed.

“No punishment will bring back the dignity of the children he raped. Most of his victims were children. How could he harm innocent children? He has ruined their futures,’’ said Mdluli.

After he pleaded guilty, Makolomakwe granted permission to the media to film and show Phakathi’s face. Before this, the media were only allowed to take pictures of his back.

Phakathi, from Daveyton on the East Rand, has been in a prison hospital since his arrest in March last year. He was shot in the leg as he fled from police officers who had come to arrest him. The leg has since been amputated.

Phakathi has been kept at a prison hospital at Modderbee Correctional Services Centre.

SowetanLIVE