String of attacks linked to 'Sunday Rapist'

Married father's reign of terror allegedly began in 2008 and culminated in this month's murder of a schoolgirl

“Sunday rapist” Johannes Jacobus Steyn reportedly raped and killed Roodepoort schoolgirl Louise de Waal while his wife was at work and his son was at school.

These details were contained in a signed confession made by Steyn, Beeld newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Steyn, 35, confessed to being the “Sunday rapist” before a magistrate in the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

He allegedly raped a number of young girls in Gauteng and the North West, mostly on Sundays, since 2008.

His last victim was said to have been De Waal, who was abducted, raped and murdered last week.

According to the newspaper, Steyn allegedly raped De Waal in his home in the affluent suburb of Wilropark, in Roodepoort.

At the time, his wife was at work and their six-year-old son was at school.

After committing the crime, he apparently called someone from his church and some friends.

He then got into his gold Mercedes-Benz and fled to Margate, on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast, where he eventually handed himself over to the police.

According to the report, police found child pornography on Steyn’s computer.

He had also burnt some caps and wigs, which he used to disguise himself, as well as sex toys.

The Sunday rapist’s reign of terror apparently began in November 2008.

He allegedly struck again in June and November 2009 in Rustenburg and Potchefstroom.

He was suspected of raping a 16-year-old girl from Vanderbijlpark in February last year and another teenager in Rustenburg in March that year.

On August 15, he allegedly raped an 18-year-old girl, also in Potchefstroom.    

Police believed that he was the man who kidnapped 14-year-old Lazanne Farmer and her 16-year-old friend in September.

Farmer died when she jumped from a moving car during the kidnapping.

Later that month, the “Sunday rapist” allegedly kidnapped and raped a 15-year-old girl in Carletonville and on October 31 last year he raped an 11-year-old girl in Krugersdorp.

Steyn faces 13 charges of rape, 10 of kidnapping, one of murder and six of sexual assault.

The matter has been postponed until December 13 for further investigation. The State has applied for all the charges against him to be centralised.

According to the Beeld, when he appeared in court on Monday, Steyn was wearing the same clothes he wore when he abducted, raped and killed de Waal.

The court has ruled that photographs of Steyn may not be displayed in a manner that could show his identity, as an identity parade might be needed at a later stage.

Steyn’s colleagues at Burger Ceiling and Partitioning Distributors are receiving counselling organised by their employer, the newspaper reported.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.