One of the balaclava serial rapists found guilty on all 44 charges

JOHANNESBURG: One of two suspects dubbed the Alexandra balaclava serial rapists has been found guilty on all 44 charges he was facing in the South Gauteng High Court yesterday.

Judge Ingrid Opperman read out the testimonies of their victims who were attacked at East Bank Park and other areas in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg.

The packed public gallery heard gruesome evidence of a number of victims who were sexually assaulted and robbed by the two men.

Xaniseka Mukansi faced 16 counts of rape, 17 of compelling rape and 11 of robbery with aggravating circumstances, while his accomplice Sija Mabitsela pleaded guilty to 76 counts of rape on Monday.

Judge Opperman read from the evidence of a witness who testified that she was with her partner when they were approached by two men who instructed them and two other couples to exchange partners and have sexual intercourse with one another. The accused then took turns raping the women before robbing their victims.

In another incident, a girl, who was 16 at the time, was with her friend when they were approached by three people, two men and a woman. One of the men said: “Do something stupid and you will die”.

Later another man arrived with another couple.

In total there were three couples, who were instructed to undress and have sex with one another.

The young girl refused and was kicked by one of the men who then stole her phone.

Mukansi along with his accomplice also robbed a number of the couples of their phones.

The matter was postponed to March 24 for pre-sentencing proceedings.

Meanwhile, the case against Mabitsela was on Monday postponed to March 15 for a plea and sentence agreement. – ANA