Onderstepoort serial rapist, killer found guilty

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Published Apr 29, 2016

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Pretoria - Onderstepoort serial rapist and killer Andries Makgae, who mostly preyed on elderly women, was on Thursday convicted on four charges of rape and three of murder.

Judge Vivian Tlhapi, sitting in the high court in Pretoria, said Makgae followed the same modus operandi during a 18-month reign of terror in the Onderstepoort area, north of Pretoria, where he lived.

His victims were mostly elderly women in their 60s, whom he first raped, then killed. Most were strangled with their underwear, while the bodies of others were so decomposed when they were found that the cause of death could not be determined.

The body of one victim, who was found near the Bon Accord Dam, was so decomposed it mainly consisted of bones and a skull.

Her family only identified her by her shoes and a bucket she had with her. This victim was on her way to fetch water when she was overpowered by Makgae.

The flamboyant and well-dressed 55-year-old pleaded guilty to most of the murder charges, while he denied the bulk of the rape charges.

At first he claimed that a woman accused him of infecting her with HIV. Since then he had developed a hatred towards women, he said. This was why he killed Maria Pilore, 60. But he denied that he raped her and claimed they had a relationship.

Pilore was last seen on January 1, 2012, visiting a tavern. Her partly decomposed body was discovered 17 days later in dense bush near Bon Accord Dam. The cause of death could not be determined.

However Makgae denied in court that he had ever met the woman.

A few weeks later, Makgae killed Juliet Mokgatla, 69. She was sent by her husband on February 4, 2012, to a nearby shop. She never returned home. Her body was also discovered a few days later in dense bush.

Makgae wrapped her underwear around her neck after he used it to strangle her. She was raped before being killed.

Praise Mpatsi, 29, suffered the same fate. Her husband testified that he left for work on January 3, 2013, leaving his wife at home. When he returned she was missing. Her body was discovered nearly three weeks later in dense bushes. Makgae tied her underwear around her neck. The cause of death could not be established as the body was in an advanced state of decomposition.

While the police were still searching for the missing women, he pounced on his last victim about a week after he had killed Mpatsi.

He broke into the home of Selina Eva Matjela, 44, on an Onderstepoort smallholding. He raped her twice and the next morning demanded cash. Her family alerted police, who arrested Mokgatla.

He will be sentenced on July 21.

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Pretoria News

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