On the eve of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, two judges in two provinces are expected to impose sentences on two convicted serial rapists on Thursday.

Luvuyo Malawana Mananga is expected to appear in the Eastern Cape High Court Bhisho for his sentencing while further north, the South Gauteng High Court, sitting in Palm Ridge, is expected to sentence Lebogang Gift Mokoena.

Mananga was convicted on November 6, 2018 of 11 counts of rape while Mokoena was found guilty of 13 counts of rape, nine of kidnapping, nine of robbery with aggravating circumstances, nine of pointing an object that resembles a firearm, two of aiding and abetting someone to commit an offence and one of sexual assault. 

Mokoena, a taxi driver, went on a rampage for 13 months between September 26, 2016, and October 12, 2017, before he was nabbed by the police at a house in Molapo, Soweto, on October 23, 2017.

Pleaded guilty

Mokoena pleaded guilty to 43 counts.

He revealed that he kidnapped, raped and robbed female passengers across parts of Gauteng while driving around in a white Toyota Quantum minibus taxi.

Some victims were forced to hand over their bank cards and PIN codes to Mokoena and his friends. All cellphones and other belongings that were taken from the victims were later sold to a Nigerian national.

Six survivors were raped by Mokoena and his co-accused while the taxi was in motion and two others were taken to an open veld and raped. Some victims were later given money by Mokoena to board a taxi home.

Raping spree

Mananga's reign of terror began on May 19, 2007, when he raped and robbed a 22-year-old victim in Mdantsane.

His list of crimes was extensive and continued until 2011.

DNA samples of the men and their victims positively linked them to the crimes.