UNEMOTIONAL “BEAST OF TEMBISA” IN THE DOCK

by Everson Luhanga for Scrolla

The man they call the Beast of Tembisa stood in the dock, unapologetic and unshaken, coldly facing his victims.

The first day of the trial of Gift Mkhwanazi, a man who allegedly raped 33 women in Tembisa, started on Monday with three of his victims in attendance.

Through a Zulu interpreter, Mkhwanazi pleaded not guilty after the state prosecutor read the charges. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges including rape, attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and dangerous weapons.

Mkhwanazi told the court that he had never met the victims and that he was not near the scenes of the alleged crimes.

The first victim told the court she went to celebrate her sister’s birthday at a tavern in Ivory Park on 29 June 2019. She said Mkhwanazi, who was wearing a balaclava, followed her, her sister and a friend to their gate, where he grabbed her from behind.
He threatened them with a firearm demanding money and cell phones and then forced them to go with him. He warned them that if they screamed, he would shoot them.

“He hit me with a firearm on my head,” the witness said.
“I resisted going with him. He said he would do something to me that I would regret for the rest of my life, so I followed his orders,” she told the court in Setswana.

The witness added the man took them to a park and, while still pointing the firearm, told them to undress and lie down.
“He ordered us to lie facing upwards,” she said.
“He started by raping me, then went on to rape my sister, as well as our friend. Then he raped me again.”
She said he ordered her to perform oral sex on him – which she did, after which he told them to lie face down.
“He then vanished. He went away with my underpants, my sister’s jersey and other items,” she said.

At that point the emotional witness broke down and was comforted by the interpreter, the state prosecutor and other officials.

The trial continues.