Serial Rapist Sentenced to Six Life Terms for Rape at Gunpoint in Delft Graveyard Attacks in Cape Town, South Africa

A Cape Town man has been sentenced to six life terms and an additional 50 years’ imprisonment for a series of brutal rapes committed between 2014 and 2019. The sentencing was delivered by the High Court in Cape Town on Wednesday following a harrowing trial that highlighted the courage of six women who testified against him.

Lungile Buhlungu, 40, a father of six, was convicted of six counts of rape, two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, four counts of kidnapping, one count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and one count of illegal possession of a firearm. Each rape count earned him a life sentence, with additional time added for the other convictions.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) praised the bravery of the victims, who testified in camera to protect their identities. According to NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, the women endured extremely violent attacks, often at gunpoint and sometimes in a local cemetery in Delft.

The first three women were assaulted on the night of July 11, 2014, after Buhlungu and an accomplice forced them at gunpoint into nearby bushes and raped them repeatedly. They were released the following morning.

A fourth woman, attacked on October 5, 2017, was found unconscious, naked, and injured at a cemetery by a passing motorist. She suffered head trauma and a bloodshot eye. The victim, who knew Buhlungu from their shared informal settlement, was forced to leave the province due to trauma.

Two additional victims were raped on May 12, 2018, after being taken by vehicle to the Delft graveyard and assaulted at gunpoint. Both later reported emotional and relational distress stemming from the ordeal.

Buhlungu pleaded not guilty, claiming he had been in prison during the 2014 attacks and insisting that the 2017 and 2018 incidents involved consensual sex. However, DNA evidence linked him to the crimes, leading to his arrest in 2019.

Senior prosecutor Advocate Esna Erasmus presented testimony from Lt-Col Elmarie Alta Myburgh, an expert in sexual offence investigations and forensic assessments, who testified that Buhlungu posed a continued risk to society.

The court ordered that the Department of Correctional Services conduct a psychological evaluation to determine whether Buhlungu would benefit from sexual behavior intervention programs.

“The victims faced their attacker in court with courage, despite being plagued by nightmares and lasting emotional trauma,” said Ntabazalila. “Their strength and testimony led to the conviction of a dangerous serial rapist and ensured the safety of other women in the community.”

The sentence includes:

Six life terms for rape

Five years each for two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm

Five years each for four counts of kidnapping

Fifteen years for robbery with aggravating circumstances

Five years for illegal possession of a firearm