JOHANNESBURG – Police have appealed to Nelmapius residents in Tshwane to help with information that could lead to the arrest of a suspected serial rapist in the area.
The man, who is in his 30s, broke into a Nelmapius house earlier this week and raped a woman before making off with money and a cellphone.
Police say he’s been linked to at least four other rape cases in the area since last November.
It’s understood he targets single women by breaking into their homes before attacking them.
The police’s Colette Weilbach says: “At this stage, four rape cases rape being investigated. The possibility that they’re linked to other cases are also under investigation. The man is in his 30s.”
On Valentine’s evening, a 47-year-old woman was woken up by her teenage daughter at about 3 am. Police say an unknown man entered the house and threatened the woman and her child with a firearm. He raped the mother and later threatened to rape the teenage girl as well. It’s understood his cellphone rang and he left the house to take the call. The mother and daughter were then able to lock the house and call for help. He stole a cellphone from the house.
During a separate incident on 18 February 2019, it’s understood the man raped a 29-year-old woman while her crying baby was in the room. Police say he stole her cellphone and demanded money.
On 20 January 2019 at about 3 am, a 20-year-old woman reported that she was raped. The woman said she woke up and saw an unknown man outside her open bedroom window, who was wearing a balaclava. It’s understood the man pointed a knife at her and demanded she hands over her laptop and cellphone through the window. Police say she was then instructed to open the door for him.
Another incident was reported last year in November, also during the early morning hours on a Sunday. The suspect entered the house and found a woman sleeping next to her children. He threatened her with a knife and instructed her to keep quiet and to hand him money, which she did. After he ransacked the house, he raped her.
SAPS says it’s prioritizing these investigations and working around the clock to arrest the suspect.
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