The Rustenburg Regional Court has handed down an 85-year prison sentence to 43-year-old Mziwoxolo Zozi for seven counts of rape and possession of an unlicensed firearm. The court also declared Zozi unfit to possess a firearm under Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000).
Zozi’s crimes spanned from April 2018 to July 2022, during which he targeted women aged between 17 and 34 in Rustenburg, Phokeng, Mooinooi, and Marikana.
Brutal Attacks
In one incident, on 15 April 2018, a 23-year-old woman was asleep in her home in Skierlik village, Marikana, when Zozi broke in, overpowered her, threatened her with a firearm, and raped her.
Another attack occurred on 26 March 2022 in Freedom Park near Phokeng, where Zozi assaulted a 17-year-old girl. The victim woke up to find him removing her blankets before pointing a gun at her and raping her.
Arrest and Conviction
Following an extensive police investigation, Zozi was identified as a suspect, traced to Marikana, and arrested on 29 November 2022. At the time of his arrest, he was found with an unlicensed firearm. Forensic DNA evidence linked him to multiple rapes.
In addition to the seven cases for which he was convicted, Zozi faces five more pending rape charges in the Rustenburg Regional Court. He has also been linked to cases in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng.
Having remained in custody since his arrest, Zozi will serve an effective 50 years in prison, as some sentences will run concurrently.
