Amanda Watson
GONER. Boas Jacob Kgatlhane (33), accused of being
a serial rapist, has escaped from police custody for the second time.
With a reported 1 500
serial rapists on the books, the South African Police Service (SAPS) can ill
afford to let one escape – especially for the second time.
Boas Jacob Kgatlhane (33)
is accused of raping 13 teenagers between 14 and 17-years old. The last time he
escaped, it took police three years to catch him.
In a letter of complaint to
The Civilian Secretariat for Police, the Shukumisa Campaign said it had “become
increasingly alarmed by the manner in which serial rapes are being dealt with
by the SAPS”.
An article on the DNA
Project website states 1 500 serial rapists had been active South Africa over
the past three years. However, the Shukumisa Campaign said a SAPS presentation
stated that “477 serial rapists were identified by analysis of DNA submitted to
the Forensic Science Laboratory during the three-month period October-December
2012 alone”.
After Kgatlhane’s first
escape, members of the Thabazimbi Fa-mily Violence and Sexual Offences unit
found him at home in Secunda on 22 August. He was reman-ded in custody until 12
September for a formal bail application which was subsequently denied. He then
made good his escape on 17 September.
“The offences occurred in
Limpopo and North West Provinces. He preyed on teenage girls aged between 14
and 17 since April 2009 until August 2013 when they were walking alone,” said
police spokesman Brigadier HangwaniMulaudzi in a statement.
According to the statement,
“Kgatlhane allegedly escaped while being escorted from the Brits Magistrate’s
Court to Let-lhabile police station, where he kicked open the door of the
police vehicle while stopping at a red robot, then fled.”
Speaking to The Citizen,
Mulaudzi said it was a standard police van, but he did not know how the accused
managed to break the steel hasps holding the metal door closed.
Police also failed to
explain why it took so long for the public to be notified, why the accused was
not wearing leg irons or why the van’s door was not locked with a padlock.
South Africa has a poor
track record with capturing notorious serial rapists. One is Moses Sithole,
dubbed the ABC killer because his rape and murder spree began in
Atteridgeville, moved to Boksburg and ended in Cleveland. Sithole committed 38
murders and raped 40 women.
Another was SifisoMakhubo,
who was accused of raping 35 children and two women between January 2006 and
February 2011. Makhubo was founding hanging in his cell shortly before his
trial in July this year.
Former Randburg Police
Constable MokoloMolekoa is awaiting judgment on 17 counts of kidnapping and
rape, committed while he was employed by the police. At his last appearance in
court he, too, was not wearing leg irons, which are designed to minimise escape
bids. Police are still searching for a Pretoria serial rapist too.
