Jikeleza driver to spend 14 years behind bars for rape and sexual assault

In his judgment, judge Jannie Eksteen said Skunyana was a first-time offender, which weighed in his favour when it came to sentencing.

A jikeleza driver who raped a young woman in the bushes along the N2 highway and sexually assaulted her sister has been sentenced to an effective 14 years in prison.

Anele Skunyana, 30, who was convicted on charges of rape, sexual assault, assault and attempted rape and kidnapping, was sentenced on Friday in the Gqeberha high court.

In his judgment, judge Jannie Eksteen said Skunyana was a first-time offender, which weighed in his favour when it came to sentencing.

He was sentenced to six months, suspended for three years, for assault, three years for kidnapping, one year for the sexual assault, six years for attempted rape and 10 years for rape.

Eksteen ordered that a portion of the sentences run concurrently with the sentence for rape, effectively jailing him for 14 years.

On June 30 2019, Skunyana offered two sisters, aged 21 and 20, and a friend, 19, a lift from New Brighton to Motherwell at about 6.45am. After travelling a short distance, he stopped along the N2 and went to relieve himself.

When he returned to the vehicle, he was armed with a knife and demanded the women get out of the car and follow him into nearby bushes.

There he told them to undress and that he wanted to have sex with them.

He instructed them to parade in their underwear while he captured it on his cellphone.

After instructing them to lie down and while attempting to rape the 20-year-old, her sister attempted to run away.

Skunyana chased and caught her before raping her twice. The two other women managed to run away and flagged down a police vehicle.

Skunyana was arrested at the scene and was found with a cellphone and women’s underwear in his pockets.