Serial rapist sentenced to six life terms
Lungile Buhlungu
Image: NPA
SERIAL rapist Lungile Buhlungu who was sentenced to six life terms and 50 years direct imprisonment will have to undergo psychological evaluation to determine whether he will benefit from any intervention available for his sexual behaviour.
Described by the state as an unrepentant criminal, Buhlungu was convicted on six counts of rape, two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, four counts of kidnapping, a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and a count of illegal possession of a firearm.
His five-year reign of terror on his six victims ended in 2019 when he was arrested and linked to the rapes through DNA.
The first three women were raped in Delft on the evening of July 11, 2014 after Buhlungu and his accomplice, who were both armed, confronted them. They forced them at gunpoint into the bushes and took turns raping them.
At one stage, one of the victims attempted to escape when one of the two men fired a shot in the air. They released them in the early hours of the next day.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the women testified about how negatively the incident had affected them.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
'The accused raped the fourth victim on the evening of 05 October 2017. She was attacked while walking home and woke up in the hospital with a wound on the right side of her head, and her right eye was red. She was found by a motorist lying naked at the local graveyard.
She knows the accused as they stayed in the same informal settlement in Delft. She had to leave the province to escape the traumatic environment. Other two women were raped on the evening of 12 May 2018 when they were taken by a vehicle to the Delft graveyard and raped at gunpoint. The incident hurt them as their relationships have never been the same after their ordeal,' said Ntabazalila.
The father of six Buhlungu pleaded not guilty to all the charges, claiming that he was imprisoned at Pollsmoor Prison in 2014 and knew nothing about the allegations against him.
Senior State Adv Esna Erasmus led the evidence of Lieutenant Colonel Elmarie Alta Myburgh, an expert on sexual offences investigations, sexual and violence risk assessment, forensic sex crimes investigations, and the assessment and management of stalking. She testified that serial rapists only stop these crimes through arrest and not by themselves.
Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Nicolette Bell applauded the victims for coming out and testified against their tormentor, ensuring justice for themselves and their families.
CAPE TIMES
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Stepfather plotted murder of disabled daughter for insurance payout - gets double life sentence
Nosipho Mafana, 23, was brutally murdered in her sleep by hitmen hired by her adoptive father in a calculated plot to claim over R600,000 in funeral. policy payouts. Image: Supplied A Western Cape stepfather who hired hitmen to kill his adopted daughter has been sentenced to life imprisonment. The High Court of South Africa: Western Cape Division sitting in Knysna convicted and sentenced Mboneleli Msila, who masterminded the plan to kill his disabled daughter so that he could benefit from three funeral policies amounting to R600,000. The victim, 23-year-old Nosipho Mafana, was shot 15 times in April 2022. She was adopted by Msila and his wife when she was 11 years old. Msila hired hitmen Mbulelo Jack, Monde Tshemese, and Lungisile Lucas to carry out the hit. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said Msila received a double life sentence- one for murder and the other for conspiracy to commit murder. Tshemese, who carried out the hit, also received two life sentences, as well as five years for illegal possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. Jack and Lucas were sentenced to 17 years' direct imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder and a further 17 years for murder. The court ordered their sentences to run concurrently, meaning they will each serve 17 years effectively. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the court found that the group had orchestrated a detailed plan, assigning specific roles to each man in a plot fuelled by greed and financial gain. "The well-orchestrated plan began in April 2021, when Mfana, under Msila's instruction, took out a R100,000 funeral policy with Standard Bank. The policy would pay out R200,000 in the event of an unnatural death. Msila was the beneficiary of this funeral policy," said Ntabazalila. In February 2022, another policy worth R200,000 was taken out with FNB, this time with Msila's sister-in-law listed as the beneficiary. A third policy with Capitec was also increased from R50,000 to R100,000 in March 2022, with his wife as the beneficiary. To execute the killing, Msila first approached his neighbour, offering him R40,000 and a firearm to commit the murder. When the neighbour declined, Msila turned to his nephew and three accomplices, Jack, Tshemese, and Lucas. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading On the night of April 30, 2022, the men entered Msila's property at 15 Cuba Street, KwaNokuthula, Plettenberg Bay. Jack and Tshemese entered the lounge where Mafana was sleeping on a mattress next to two other young women. Jack identified Mafana, and Tshemese opened fire, shooting her 15 times. Lucas stood guard outside. "The plan fell apart when a tin collector observed the three men when they entered the yard. He saw Lucas standing guard in the yard, and the other two men entered the house. He knew the three men as they lived in the area. He saw flashes of light like firecrackers from the house," said Ntabazalila. "He also observed the men leaving the house after numerous shots were fired. He reported the shooting incident to the investigating officer, whom he knew. He identified Jack and Lucas through a photographic identification exercise. He also took the investigating officer to Tshemese's residence and pointed him out." Msila submitted a claim to Standard Bank following Mafana's death, but the payout was blocked pending an investigation. However, FNB and Capitec paid out R200,000 each to Msila's sister-in-law and wife. Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Adv. Nicolette Bell commended the prosecution team and the police for their work, calling the crime 'barbaric.' 'The cruelty accused one showed in putting together the assassination plan, her funeral policy money, and the participants in that plan for their greedy benefit is indicative of the sick society we live in,' said Ntabazalila. 'Our responsibility is to live up to the challenge and ensure that we send each accused who is involved in such barbaric plans to prison for a long time.' IOL News
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
Life sentence for man convicted of brutally murdering girlfriend
Nhlanhla Mathye will serve a life sentence behind bars for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, whom he had dated for just two months. Image: Keran Ducasse A man who had brutally assaulted and murdered his new girlfriend, will serve a life sentence behind bars for the heinous deed, to which he pleaded guilty. This week, the Polokwane High Court sentenced 32-year-old Nhlanhla Gift Mathye from Dennilton to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his 54-year-old girlfriend. He was also sentenced to an additional 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and 10 years for defeating the ends of justice. The sentences will run concurrently. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, said when pleading to the charges he faced, Mathye said in his statement, made in terms of Section 112(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act, that he and the deceased had been in a romantic relationship for only two months. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'On 24 September (last year), she invited him to accompany her on a visit to her AVBOB Funeral Insurance clients in the B90 farm area in the Sekhukhune district. They met at the Groblersdal Mall and drove together to the location. Due to poor road conditions, they left the vehicle and proceeded on foot. 'During the walk, an argument broke out. The deceased allegedly threatened Mathye with a stone, but then fled. Enraged, he chased after her and struck her on the head with a stone, causing her to fall. While she lay on the ground, he continued to strike her head repeatedly with another stone until she was unresponsive and bleeding. Mathye then dragged her body to a nearby river and dumped it,' said Malabi-Dzhangi. After the murder, Mathye took his girlfriend's car, her handbag, and other valuables and drove to his home. He was arrested two days later. 'The following day (after the murder), he used her vehicle to travel to work. He was arrested on 26 September in Groblersdal after security personnel found him in possession of the deceased's belongings. He subsequently confessed to the crime,' said Malabi-Dzhangi. In aggravation of sentence, court preparation officer Morongwe Moife presented a Victim Impact Statement from the deceased's daughter. She described the devastating impact of her mother's death, stating that her mother had been the family's sole provider. The daughter was left to care for her younger sister and said they now struggle to afford necessities like food and electricity. State Advocate Rendani Mulaudzi argued that Mathye's guilty plea was not sincere but rather a response to overwhelming evidence. 'She emphasised that the murder occurred during the early stages of their relationship, a time typically marked by affection and emotional bonding, and urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment. The court agreed with the State and imposed the sentence accordingly,' said Malabi-Dzhangi. Advocate Ivy Thenga, Director of Public Prosecutions in the Limpopo Division, welcomed the judgment and commended the prosecution team for their diligence and commitment to justice.
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
Kraaifontein man sentenced to life for killing two police officers
Sergeant Mnakwazo Welcome Mdoko, and Constable Mninawa Breakfast were killed in Kraaifontein. Image: Supplied A man who gunned down two police officers during a patrol in Kraaifontein has been sentenced to two life terms and 47 years in prison. Mxoleleni Sikhahla, 36, was convicted in the Western Cape High Court for the February 2021 killings of Sergeant Mnakwazo Mdoko and Constable Mninawa Breakfast. The sentence was handed down on Wednesday, June 19, 2025, following Sikhahla's conviction on nine of 10 charges. The murders took place in the early hours of February 28, 2021, when Sergeant Mdoko, 44, and Constable Breakfast, 32, were ambushed while on patrol in Nondakuthini Street, Bloekombos. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani, spokesperson for the Hawks, said the officers were seated in their patrol vehicle when they were attacked. 'They were fatally shot while in their patrol vehicle,' Hani said. 'It was further reported that Mdoko and Breakfast were declared dead on the scene and their official firearms were robbed in the early hours of 28 February 2021.' The officers were ambushed at about 1.25am, according to the investigation. Sikhahla was found guilty on two counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, three counts of possession of a prohibited firearm, and contravention of the Firearms Control Act. He was acquitted on one charge of attempted murder. The court ordered that the sentences on all counts except the first would run concurrently with one of the life sentences, resulting in Sikhahla effectively serving life imprisonment. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. The attempted murder charge arose from the shooting of a woman who was also in the police vehicle during the incident. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said she was shot in the head and initially not accounted for. 'Please note that the attempted murder charge against Mxoleleni Sikhhala relates to a woman who was shot in the head. She was also in the police van,' he said. A police source close to the investigation said the woman's presence only became known later. 'When cops arrived in Phumla Street, there were only two occupants in the van. 'There was a trail of blood, and at the time, no one suspected that there was a person there. It was only discovered about a day later that there was a woman who was also shot during the incident.'
