Cape Town – An Eastern Cape taxi driver has been sentenced to life imprisonment after he was convicted of rape in the East London regional court.
A statement from the National Prosecuting Authority late on Monday said Anda Majavu, 35, was sentenced after he raped a 22-year-old passenger in 2019.
According to information brought before the court, the victim was hitch-hiking from Mdantsane to East London in October 2019 when she was picked up by Majavu.
Majavu had other passengers in the vehicle when he picked up the victim, but later dropped them off, leaving him alone with her.
The taxi driver then allegedly threatened the victim with a broken bottle neck and drove to a secluded place, where he raped her.
After the incident, Majavu drove off with the victim to another secluded area near De Gama Textiles, where he gagged her mouth and tied her up by the wrists, legs and arms, before raping her again.
The court heard that after the assault, Majavu then pushed his victim into a ditch, covered her with shrubs and left her there.
The woman managed to untie her legs, but the wrists were tied so tightly that the material cut through her flesh. The victim ran towards a road and managed to flag down a motorist who took her to the Cambridge police station.
Days after the incident, police arrested Majavu.
During the trial, Majavu claimed the victim had initiated the sexual encounter, but on being questioned about his allegations, could not explain why the victim sustained injuries.
State prosecutor Thando Feni called for a life sentence, saying this was just, given the horrific crime perpetrated against the victim.
Feni also said gender-based violence was rife and a strong message needed to be sent to the community that women would be protected by the courts.
African News Agency (ANA)