Dobsonville, a community in Soweto, has experienced several high-profile rape cases in recent years, drawing significant attention and outrage from residents.[1][2][3]
One notable incident occurred in July 2020 when three suspects broke into a house on Dzana Street. During the robbery, both a 61-year-old grandmother and her 21-year-old granddaughter were raped, and the grandmother was severely assaulted and later died from her injuries at a local clinic.[2][6] Police investigations led to the arrest of two suspects, while a third suspect was killed in an unrelated house robbery. The case resulted in protests from local residents demanding justice for the victims and harsher sentences for those involved in such violent crimes.[1][4]
In another case, the Dobsonville community was shaken by the arrest and conviction of Thapelo Malatji, a serial rapist who had terrorized the area since 2011. Malatji’s modus operandi typically involved robbing his victims at gunpoint and taking them to isolated areas to repeatedly rape and assault them.[3] He was eventually handed a double life sentence in August 2024 for multiple rapes, aggravated robberies, and kidnappings. Authorities stressed the importance of the sentence as both a measure of justice and a demonstration of their commitment to tackling gender-based violence in South Africa.[3][7]
Residents have consistently responded to these crimes with public protests and calls for authorities to prioritize cases involving violence against women and vulnerable individuals.[1][4]
References
- [1] VIDEO: Dobsonville residents protest as murder, rape accused back in the dock
- [2] One of three suspects behind murder and rape of 61-year-old woman shot dead
- [3] Reign of terror comes to an end as Dobsonville serial rapist receives double life sentence
- [4] Dobsonville residents demand arrests after rape ordeal in which gran died, granddaughter survived
- [6] Two suspects arrested for Dobsonville murder, rape – Jacaranda FM
- [7] Reign of terror comes to an end as Dobsonville serial rapist receives double life sentence – The Post
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