Serial rapist receives two life sentences

Convicted serial rapist Athenkosi Matyaleni was handed two life sentences and an additional 84 years behind bars for raping five women and an 11-year-old girl.

Matyaleni, of Molteno, began his reign of terror in the town in December 2017 when, at the age of 19,  he raped a 27-year-old woman.

He was arrested in May 2019 when his last victim, a woman in her 40s reported him to the police.

Handing down the sentence, Grahamstown high court judge Thami Beshe said Matyaleni posed a serious threat to women and children, and courts would never tire in protecting women and children against perpetrators like him.

“They [rapists] needed to be removed from society for a long time,” she said.

Matyaleni was sentenced to a further 30 years for two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, three years for two counts of common robbery and 24 months for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The sentences will run concurrently.