A Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital doctor has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges of raping his patients - all of them rape victims who went to him for treatment.
Dr Ninadu Paul Mafulu, 50, appeared at the Protea Regional Court in Soweto yesterday on two counts of indecent assault, seven counts of rape, and three other counts of sexually violating his alleged victims, aged 22, 25 and 26, between January and November 2008.
He allegedly committed the two indecent assault charges prior to Parliament passing the new Sexual Offences Act of 2008, which classifies rape as any form of vaginal penetration and not necessarily the use of a penis.
Mafulu - from the Democratic Republic of Congo - was attached to the hospital's Nthabiseng Thuthuzela Care Centre in Hillbrow and was responsible for examining women who were victims of rape - checking them for injuries and noting the injuries.
At times he was required to testify in court about their injuries and his treatment.
The first alleged victim - a 26-year-old woman - said she went to the centre on June 22, 2007 after being raped. She was treated by Mafulu.
The State alleges the doctor and his patient exchanged phone numbers after he asked her to return for another examination.
The State contends that on June 24 Mafulu took the woman to the Lilian Ngoyi Eye Care Centre, where he indecently assaulted her.
The 22-year-old second alleged victim saw Mafulu on January 25 for treatment after being raped. She gave the doctor her mother and friend's contact numbers after he told her to come back for further treatment.
According to the State, the woman returned in February and was also taken to the Lilian Ngoyi Eye Care, where she was sexually violated three times. The doctor is also said to have wanted oral sex from her.
A third woman was allegedly sexually violated four times, and the doctor allegedly also wanted to be fondled by her.
The trial continues.