The rape and robberies were committed in the Ntabamhlophe and Wembezi areas between 2021 and 2023.
A 36-year-old man has been sentenced to 95 years in jail for a series of rape and house robberies committed in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
Sabelo Khumalo appeared in the Estcourt Regional Court this week, where the sentence was handed down.
Crimes
KZN police spokesperson Captain Ntathu said the crimes of rape and robberies were committed in the Ntabamhlophe and Wembezi areas between 2021 and 2023.
“Khumalo was found guilty for terrorising five women aged between 15 and 36 years old in separate incidents, during which he unlawfully entered their homes, raped and robbed them of their belongings.”
Trauma
During court proceedings, the court heard how Khumalo’s actions left the victims deeply traumatised and living in constant fear for their lives.
“He was sentenced to 75 years’ imprisonment for five counts of rape and an additional 20 years for four counts of house breakings.
“The Estcourt Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) detectives worked tirelessly to secure the conviction, demonstrating the justice system’s commitment to protecting vulnerable women and children and holding perpetrators accountable,” Nthathu said.
Nthathu said the sentence will send “a strong message that gender-based violence and violent crime will not be tolerated.”
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Husband arrested
Meanwhile, a 34-year-old husband who drugged, raped his wife, and distributed pornographic material of him performing sexual acts on her has been arrested.
The South African Police Service (Saps) handcuffed the man for possession and distribution of drug-facilitated sexual abuse and child sexual abuse material in Boksburg on Thursday, 26 March 2026.
Task team
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk said the husband was apprehended during a multi-disciplinary takedown operation in Gauteng.
“Through close collaboration, the national Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations team received an intelligence report from the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the British High Commission, Cape Town, regarding a South African target who is believed to be involved in drug-facilitated sexual assault; Somnophilia or ‘sleep fetish.’”
On the same day, further investigation led the team to another suspect in Germiston with a similar modus operandi. The two suspects are known to each other.”
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