A 38-year-old man alleged to have been an accomplice in a series of rapes in Alexandra planned to plead guilty to his crimes‚ the South Gauteng High Court heard on Monday.

Sija Mabitsela‚ who faces 76 charges ranging from rape to assault and robbery‚ has already handed in a plea agreement.

Dressed in a blue jacket and striped scarf‚ Mabitsela stood in the dock alongside several other accused who were waiting for their matters to be heard.

His matter was postponed to March 15 for his plea to be read into the record.

Mabitsela‚ who is reported to be a sangoma‚ had become known as the ‘balaclava serial rapist’ because he is said to have always covered his face with a balaclava during his alleged rapes.

The patterns were picked up in 2013 after the Alexandra Kidz Clinic noticed there were numerous rape cases they were dealing with involving teenage girls aged 13 to 16.

The girls claimed to have been raped by a balaclava-clad man.

According to Women and Men Against Child Abuse‚ Mabitsela recruited Xaniseka Mkansi to join his escapades in 2014 and both operated in the Alexandra.

 “The men used a gunshot signal after they had tracked down a victim. They would both rape the victim‚” WMCA said in a statement.

“They compelled male victims to have sex with their female companions regardless of the relation. They would then attack the men and rob both of their possessions.”

DNA evidence has linked both men to the rapes. Mkansi however has pleaded not guilty.

He returns to court on Tuesday to face his charges. — TMG Digital