‘Highway rapist’ gets 32 life sentences

A serial sex attacker in South Africa dubbed the “Durban highway rapist” has been given 32 life sentences in jail for 32 counts of rape, committed between 2016 and 2019.

Moses Mavila preyed on women who were unemployed and looking for work by promising them jobs, Pinetown magistrate’s court heard.

There were reportedly sighs of relief from the gallery and shouts of “you are disgusting” when Mavila was handed his sentence.

“You lack the capacity for mercy which you now want the court to give you,” Magistrate Bilkish Asmal told Mavila when he was in the dock.

In addition to his sentencing for rape, Mavila was handed further 15 years in jail for robbery and 10 years each for two counts of attempted rape.

Local journalist Karinda Jagmohan tweeted this video of a group of survivors, who chose to reveal their identities, chanting after the court victory:

Some survivors outside court chose to reveal their identity and after interviews sang in celebration with their spokesperson Beverly Mothlabane#HighwayRapist will tonight begin his 32 life imprisonment terms behind bars.@Newzroom405 #NewzroomAfrika pic.twitter.com/qSS8ydr36U

— Karinda Jagmohan (@Karinda_J) August 30, 2019