Johannesburg - The State is ready to prosecute a man from Ivory Park, east of Joburg, on charges of rape and infecting his victims with HIV.
In terms of legislation, those who deliberately transmit the virus can be charged with murder, assault, assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, rape and indecent assault.
If the victim dies as a result of transmission of the virus, relatives may also sue the person responsible for the infection for negligent conduct.
On Monday, the Midrand man – whose name cannot be published until he has pleaded – appeared in the South Gauteng High Court sitting in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, where he was charged with 200 counts.
These include 52 counts of kidnapping, 27 of robbery with aggravating circumstances, 33 of rape, 12 of sexual offences and related matters, five of theft , four of grievous bodily harm, eight of unlawful possession of ammunition and 28 of unlawful possession of firearm. He is also charged with 30 counts of attempted murder – 28 related to HIV.
His alleged victims were aged between 14 and 42.
The man allegedly hijacked most of his victims and drove to an open stretch of veld, where he raped them.
It is alleged the man further demanded bank cards and PINs from his victims.
DNA results have positively linked the 34-year-old to some of these counts.
The trial was postponed until July for the court to appoint a judge to hear the matter.
Dressed in a striped shirt, the accused sat quietly in the accused’s box listening to the interpreter translating proceedings.
The alleged rapist has been held in custody since August 2012 after being denied bail in the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court shortly after his arrest.
According to the indictment, at least 116 witnesses are expected to testify against the accused, dubbed the Tembisa Serial Rapist.
The witnesses include 12 doctors who examined his alleged rape victims.
It has been alleged that during the attacks, the man stole cellphones, cash, bank cards, a firearm, shoes and jewellery. In one incident, he allegedly hijacked a couple, stole their car, a cellphone, a jacket, a wristwatch, a bank card and shoes.
The indictment said he had instructed an unknown man to to force his penis into the mouth of one victim.
It is believed the accused’s reign of terror began in Tembisa in June 2007. It is also believed he raped women in Ivory Park, Tembisa, Olifantsfontein, Rabie Ridge, Olievenhoutbosch and Norkem Park.
Meanwhile, a 40-year-old accused of raping about 50 schoolgirls aged 6-12 is expected to appear in court next month.
The accused, from Winnie Mandela Park, in Tembisa, is suspected of being a serial rapist wanted since 2007 for a spate of attacks over six years in Gauteng and Limpopo.
The State alleged his assaults began in Lulekani, Limpopo, in 2007 when he allegedly raped a 10-year-old girl.
It is believed the suspect then fled to Gauteng, where he continued with his alleged attacks.
The Star