Uitenhage cluster sees three rapists convicted in July

Three men have been convicted of rape, two in Uitenhage and another in Kirkwood, during the month of July.

Police spokeswoman Captain Gerda Swart said that the three separate cases were all investigated by the Uitenhage Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.

“Child abuse, rape, sexual and domestic violence are among the most destructive experiences affecting women and the occurrence of such violent crimes takes a huge toll on the live of a victim,” he said.

None of the victims can be named due to the nature of the crime. The latest conviction was on Tuesday, 24 July, when Thamsanqa Daba, 30, was sentenced in the Uitenhage Magistrate’s Court to 10-years imprisonment for the rape of a 54-year-old victim.

“The complainant was asleep in her home in the Kamesh area at 02:15am on 1 July 2015, when she was woken up by the accused who held a knife against her neck and demanded money.

The accused (Daba) took a South Africa Social Security Agency (Sassa) card and he then raped her. The victim gave an excellent description of the accused (Daba) and he was arrested on 14 September 2015,” Swart said.

In another case, also in the Uitenhage Magistrate’s Court, Mziyanda Qengqani, 25, was sentenced on Monday, 16 July, to eight years imprisonment for the rape of an 18-year-old woman in Kwanobuhle on 2 January 2017.

“The accused (Qengqani) entered the home of the complainant, who was alone at home at the time, and raped her. Qengqani was arrested the same evening and detained on the charge of rape. The accused was also sentenced by the Uitenhage Magistrate’s Court,” she added.

In Kirkwood, Vusani Nkosana, 29, was sentenced to 10-years imprisonment on Friday, 6 July, for the rape of a 22-year-old victim at 2am on 4 January 2014.

“The complainant was walking home when she was raped by the accused (Nkosana) at the dumping site in Moses Mabida, Kirkwood,” Swart added.