Simphiwe Xolani Mkhwanazi, 22, from Mpumalanga has been sentenced to two life terms and 105 years in prison for a series of horrific gender-based violence crimes, including murder and rape.
The Mpumalanga Division of the High Court, sitting in Breyten, has sentenced 22-year-old Simphiwe Xolani Mkhwanazi to two life terms and an additional 105 years' imprisonment for a string of horrific gender-based violence (GBV) and other violent crimes.
Mkhwanazi was convicted on ten charges, including two counts of kidnapping, four counts of rape, murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and defeating the administration of justice. The offences were committed between July 2021 and August 2023 in the Amersfoort and Daggakraal areas.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said the authority “welcomes the sentence”.
The court heard that Mkhwanazi targeted vulnerable women, often late at night as they returned home from taverns. Armed with a knife, he would threaten his victims, force them into secluded areas, rape them, and rob them of their belongings, including cellphones, cash, and clothing.
