There is no hope for Nasrec serial killer Lazarus Tshidiso Mazingane - if he is let out of prison, he will rob, rape and kill again.
So said Johannesburg High Court Judge Joop Labuschagne on Tuesday as he sentenced the former taxi driver to 17 life terms and 781 years in prison.
He found him guilty on 74 counts, including 16 murders and 22 rapes committed between 1993 and 1998. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Last week, Judge Labuschagne acquitted Mazingane on a 75th charge, that of the 1993 murder of Busisiwe Tshabalala, of Palm Springs, for lack of evidence.
Life has come full circle for Mazingane, who was born in prison 28 years ago, while his mother served a five-year sentence.
Now he is likely to live out his days behind bars, after Judge Labuschagne sentenced him to the following terms:
- Life for each of the 16 murders and one of the rapes
- Eighteen years for each of the 21 other rapes;
- Twenty-five years for robbery with aggravating circumstances;
- Fifteen years on each of 19 robbery charges;
- Ten years for each of five attempted murders;
- Eight years for each of three kidnappings;
- Two years for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm;
- Three years for each of three charges of illegal possession of firearms;
- Two years for each of four counts of illegal possession of ammunition.
Judge Labuschagne said that although he had considered Mazingane's personal circumstances, that he had grown up in poverty in the care of his grandmother, a person like him could not be rehabilitated. In the interests of the community, he needed to be removed permanently from society.
"The accused's prospects of rehabilitation appear to be poor, if not nonexistent. If he is let out of prison, he will rob, rape and kill again.
"The facts before me prove that he is a cruel and inhuman person who stalked poor, defenceless women, whom he robbed, raped and murdered," said the judge.
"The accused has no respect for the sanctity of life. I cannot begin to express my horror and disgust at such barbaric acts.
"I am convinced that law-abiding citizens are sick and tired of senseless crimes involving violence," said Judge Labuschagne.
He said the heinous crimes committed by Mazingane, especially the strangling of his victims with their own clothing, were horrendous and of such a serious nature that they warranted life imprisonment.
"Since the abolition of the death sentence, life imprisonment is the appropriate sentence," explained Judge Labuschagne, to murmurs of agreement from the families of victims, who had packed court 4B for the sentencing.
"All of these women were young and in the prime of their lives. There is nothing I can do or say to compensate for their (families') loss. Perhaps they will find comfort in the sentences."
The families of victims welcomed the sentences afterwards, saying they hoped Mazingane would never be released.
"He must rot in jail. He must be put in a single cell for at least six years (to be mentally tortured)," said Vusumuzi Mabaso, whose wife Gladys was murdered in May 1996.
He said the government should reconsider the question of the death penalty because life imprisonment did not seem to deter criminals.
Sharing Mabaso's sentiments was Sizane Moloko, who lost her elder sister Paulina Mahlangu in March 1996.
"I am relieved a little bit. If we had the death penalty, I would have been much more relieved," she said, adding that "when I looked at him (Mazingane) and viewed the pictures (taken by police) of my sister's decomposed body, I wish he had been given the death penalty."
For the first time in eight years, the family of Prudence Mohomane, who was also raped, murdered and robbed by Mazingane, would rest knowing her killer would be in jail for a very long time.
Mohomane's sister, Lucky Mohomane, said that, in the absence of the death penalty, life imprisonment was the appropriate sentence for Mazingane.
"There is not much they (the judge and two assessors) could have done, given the fact that the death sentence is no longer there," she said.