16 Days of Activism: Court hands serial rapist life behind bars

As the country observes the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign, the Western Cape High court has sentenced a serial rapist to life imprisonment.

Sihle Makaula was convicted of raping three unsuspecting young women and a minor on separate occasions between July 2019 and August 2020 in Grabouw.

He was convicted after he provided a DNA sample to the police in 2022, while serving a 15-year sentence for another rape case.

The 27-year-old entered a plea and sentencing agreement with the State.

"The court convicted Makaula on a count of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, four counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and four counts of rape, including the rape of a minor, 17 years old at the time of the incidents," said the Western Cape's National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila