Police commissioner welcomes three life sentences for EC serial rapist

An Eastern Cape serial rapist was given three life sentences in the Bhisho High Court on Tuesday.

Sivuyile Ngqula, 39, a part-time mechanic and taxi driver from Peddie, was convicted of four counts of rape for which he was given three life sentences.

Ngqula operated a taxi providing transport services between Peddie, Mdantsane and the Nxarhuni area.

Police spokesperson Captain Khaya Tonjeni said Ngqula sexually violated a number of innocent women as he preyed on his passengers as a taxi driver.

“He managed to remain undetected for a period of two years until his arrest on January 9 2018. He was then charged for a series of rapes that occurred between 2014 and 2016,” he said.

According to Tonjeni, high court Judge Belinda Hartley described rape as being prevalent in the country and one of the most dangerous crimes.

“When you rape someone, you rob them of their dignity, security and integrity. You traumatise their families too.

"A message needs to get out to other would-be rapists that rape should not be repeated and society can only be protected from rapists through sentencing and imprisonment of rapists,” Hartley told the court.

Tonjeni said that in total, Ngqula was given three life sentences as well as five years for intention to rape and 15 years for another rape.

All of the sentences will run concurrently.

Provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga welcomed the sentence.

"We were outside the high court during the 16 Days of Activism, saying we want harsher sentences for sexual offenders. Our request did not fall on deaf ears.

"We also pledged to continue the fight against gender violence and sexual offences. This sentence is an indication that we have delivered on the undertaking to take this campaign beyond the 16 days in December only,” she said.