Soweto Serial Rapist Arrested After 17-Year Crime Spree, Officers Nab Man Linked to 35 Rape Cases

• The man suspected of being the Soweto serial rapist has been arrested after DNA evidence linked him to numerous cases
• Police officers described how they spent the past five years working tirelessly to trace the man wanted for several serious crimes
• The suspect's crime spree started in 2008, as he targeted victims aged between 15 and 55 in Gauteng and North West

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG – A team of specialised officers finally arrested the alleged Soweto serial rapist, whose crime spree lasted 17 years.

The 41-year-old, who cannot be named as he hasn’t yet pleaded, has been positively linked to 35 rape cases. He was finally arrested in the second week of September 2025 at his home in Diepkloof, Soweto, in connection with a series of serious crimes.

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He is facing 35 counts of rape, 22 charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, 21 counts of kidnapping, and 15 counts of pointing a firearm. The crimes were committed in Diepkloof and Orlando between 2008 and 2025, with two of the rape cases reported in the North West.

How was he finally arrested?

The 17-year crime spree came to an end after DNA evidence linked him to the crimes. DNA samples were obtained from him after he was arrested in 2020 for attempted murder. While the attempted murder case was later withdrawn, the DNA samples from that case sparked a meticulous investigation spanning five years. Officers involved never gave up, knowing they would eventually catch him.

"We kept our cards close to our hearts. We didn't want to alert him. We knew we would get him. We were meticulous in our work," one of the officers said.

When DNA results positively matched him with 35 counts of rape at the beginning of September, a team made up of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) units from the national head office, provincial office and Orlando traced the suspect to his home, where they arrested him after showing him the DNA results.

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While officers are relieved that they finally got their man, they aren’t stopping there, as they attempt to link him to other cases.

Suspect’s crime spree began in 2008

Officers confirmed that the suspect’s rape spree began in 2008, with his victims ranging in age from 15 to 55.

"Some were attacked while going to and from school, others on their way to the gym, to work, or while attending parties.

Police reported that he used a firearm or a knife to threaten victims, and covered his face with a balaclava, cap or face mask in a bid to conceal his identity,” police noted.

Two victims who attended the proceedings in the Protea Magistrate's Court on 15 September 2025 broke down in tears when they saw the suspect in the dock, and confirmed outside the courtroom that he was the one who had raped them. He will next appear on 14 November 2025.

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Other cases of serial rapists being arrested

Briefly News reported that police have had success in arresting various serial rapists across the country.

• In October 2024, serial rapist Nkosinathi Phakathi was handed 42 life sentences and 791 years behind bars.
• Police nabbed the alleged Vosman serial rapist, who was wanted for 35 counts of rape, in January 2025.
• In May 2025, a 39-year-old serial rapist from Mamelodi was sentenced to over 400 years in prison.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News