Durban - Victims of serial rapist Moses Mavila rejoiced when he received life sentences for each of the 32 charges of rape against him in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Together with their supporters, they loudly applauded and expressed their gratitude towards prosecutor advocate Sizwe Khanyile and investigating officers Mndeni Mzila and Vusi Shinga. Mavila, who lured women under the false pretence of getting them jobs before he raped them, looked unemotional and relaxed while he stood in the dock.
Clothed in a black jacket and pants, he kept looking at members of the public who were at the sentencing - most of them his victims. When magistrate Bilkish Asmal passed the sentence he referred to Mavila as a sexual predator, saying he made life difficult for women who were desperate for work.
“The victims only wanted jobs and to live in a decent manner but you preyed on them. What you did to these women and their families shows a lack of respect for their dignity and you have shown no remorse for it,” Asmal said.
Asmal added that Mavila had committed the offences over a long period of time, which meant he could have stopped but chose not to.
As he left the dock following the sentencing, Mavila turned back to the public gallery and said: “Relax, I’ll be back.”
Apart from the life sentences for rape, he was also sentenced to 405 years for robbery and 20 years for attempted rape.
He had pleaded guilty to all the charges. A victim, who cannot be named, said she was happy that justice had finally prevailed.
“I was unemployed and had no source of income, so I fell for his lies. I’m satisfied with the sentences. He got what he deserved for being the cruel person that he is,” said the victim.
Mavila was known as the M19 rapist because he lured his victims around Westville and Pinetown and forced them into the bush near the M19 highway where he raped and assaulted them.
One of his victims was pregnant at the time.
During proceedings, Nkosinathi Khuzwayo, a social worker, told the court that Mavila was originally from Mozambique and came to South Africa in 2008 to look for better job opportunities as he only had a Grade 3 education.
Khuzwayo said Mavila lost his mother when he was eight years old and was raised by his father and step-mother along with his two siblings. After his arrest in 2014, he spent a year and a half in jail and was then repatriated to Mozambique because he was in the country illegally. He returned to SA in 2017.
Investigating officers Mndeni Mzila and Vusi Shinga said it took them just a few weeks to catch Mavila. Mzila said they took on the case in January with much enthusiasm.
“While we were doing our investigation, we received a similar case in early February, and from then we knew that we were dealing with a vicious serial rapist,” he said.
Mavila was arrested in New Germany in February after he allegedly raped another woman at the same spot.
The two investigators welcomed the sentence.
“We were expecting a harsh sentence but what Mavila got was even greater than what we expected.
"We are delighted that the victims have finally found closure.”