The High Court sitting in Palm Ridge on Gauteng’s East Rand has postponed the case of Sibusiso Matshaya who has been found guilty of raping four schoolgirls and two women in and around Vereeniging in the Vaal.

The court sat for a pre-sentencing hearing today. The state wants a life sentence to be imposed. They argue that Matshaya has two previous convictions, including that of rape.

He had been out on parole when he went on his latest rape spree.  Between 2016 and 2019, Matshaya would lay and wait in the open veld where he targeted women walking alone and young girls.

He would accost them, threaten them with a firearm or a knife, and drag them into the bush before raping them. Matshaya has been found guilty on six rape charges and one of kidnapping. The state says that he has no respect for women and the law.

The state wants him classified as a pedophile for raping the four 15-year old school girls. His defense submitted that he should be given a lighter sentence.

They argued that the community needs to be trained to live with a person like Matshaya.

This drew a sharp rebuke from the Judge who says that it is people like Matshaya that compromised the community’s desire for peace, stability, and freedom. She said citizens want to send their children to the shops without fear that they would be harmed.

The state told the court that Matshaya showed no remorse for raping the four girls and two women. Instead, he had claimed that they wanted it.

Matshaya will remain in custody until his next court appearance on Wednesday.