News Report

Relief as rapist gets life in jail
The Mercury, March 4 2011 at 10:50am

BEREA residents who were terrorised by robber and rapist Mbuyiselo Mkhize were delighted when he was sentenced in the Durban High Court to life imprisonment yesterday.

Mkhize, 39, was sentenced to two life sentences for two counts of rape and 90 years for several counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and housebreaking by Judge Nompumelelo Radebe.

Mkhize committed four robberies in the space of two weeks in February. Two women were also raped.

He and his accomplices, Mandy Gcaleka and Fernandes da Silva, were arrested by the Durban Central police task team on February 17.

Mbuyiselo Mkhize waits to get into a police van to be taken to Westville Prison to start his life sentence. Picture: Zanele Zulu

Mkhize pleaded guilty to the February offences last Friday, saying that he was remorseful for his actions.

Handing down sentence, Judge Radebe said Mkhize had only said he was remorseful in order to get a lighter sentence.

“In my opinion he is not remorseful at all. It is clear he was on a warpath to become a serial rapist or even a serial killer, and was only stopped in his tracks by the police.”

She said that while Mkhize claimed he had committed the robberies so he could sell the goods, he had put forth no reasons for the rape.

“He humiliated a domestic worker who was trying to earn a proper living, raped her and then robbed the home, leaving her to explain the stolen items to her employers. He then went to the home of a young girl, woke her and raped her. What reasons did he have for those actions?”

She did not accept that Mkhize had stolen the items to sell.

“He kept the items for his personal bragging, so he could say he had a laptop, jewellery and cellphone.”

She commended the police for their “sterling work”. One of the elderly robbery victims, who would not be named for fear of further victimisation, said yesterday that the robbery had been a horrific experience.

“My husband was tied up and put in a cupboard. Then I was hit and my wedding ring was taken. It was the first time I had been robbed in my home and it was awful.”

She praised the police for their swift investigation.

“They were very helpful and I was satisfied with the job they did. I’m very pleased that this man has already been sentenced.”

The investigating officer, Warrant Officer Kevin Pather, said he had spoken to the rape victims and their families.

“They were pleased that the case was finalised so quickly and that they can put this behind them.”

Gcaleka and Da Silva are expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court today.

Kamini Padayachee