A 36-year-old serial rapist in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province has been sentenced to five life terms in prison plus an additional 155 years’ imprisonment after a lengthy reign of terror spanning nearly a decade, authorities confirmed.
The conviction and sentencing were handed down by the Mtunzini High Court, where the defendant — identified in court records as Muzikhona Khehla Khumbulani Mthethwa — was found guilty on seven counts of rape, including the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl, as well as multiple related charges involving attempted murder, robbery, housebreaking and assault.
A Decade-Long Crime Spree
Police officers and prosecutors said Mthethwa’s criminal behaviour began in March 2017 in the KwaMbonambi area, where he attacked and raped a woman and attempted to kill her by strangulation.
As his crimes continued, Mthethwa moved through several communities, including Richards Bay and Empangeni, committing further acts of violence. In one incident, he shot at a woman and raped another while forcing additional victims to witness the acts.
The youngest known victim — a 13-year-old girl — was raped after Mthethwa broke into her home while she was asleep, prosecutors said.
Police Investigation and Arrest
KwaZulu-Natal Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that after crime patterns suggested a repeating offender, specialised detectives from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit worked to link multiple cases. Their efforts culminated in Mthethwa’s arrest, after which he was charged with more than 20 counts of violent offences.
Following a trial in which the State presented extensive evidence of his crimes, the court concluded that Mthethwa posed an ongoing threat to society and imposed one of the most severe sentences available under South African law.
Reaction and Broader Implications
The sentence aims to send a strong message that violent crime, particularly against women and children, will be met with the harshest legal consequences available. Sentencing a single offender to multiple life terms plus a substantial additional term — in this case 155 years — underscores the severity of his actions and the court’s commitment to public safety.
Criminal justice experts note that such extended sentences are intended both to protect the public and to provide closure to victims, whose lives have been deeply affected by prolonged trauma and fear.
In A Nut Shell
The landmark sentencing of Muzikhona Khehla Khumbulani Mthethwa — five life terms plus 155 years in prison — follows one of the most serious conviction cases in KwaZulu-Natal in recent years. Prosecutors and police have welcomed the outcome as a demonstration of the criminal justice system’s capacity to hold repeat violent offenders accountable and highlight the importance of dedicated investigation into complex serial crimes.
