The alleged Ekurhuleni serial rapist pleaded guilty to all charges he is facing in the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

Nkosinathi Emmanuel Phakathi, 32, is facing 148 charges – including rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, theft and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Phakathi was initially facing 203 charges but National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the state dropped 55 charges against him, taking the count of his charges to 148. 

Prosecutor Salome Scheepers said Phakathi is linked to at least 93 rape cases.

The Pretoria high court trial sitting in Palm Ridge resumes on Wednesday for Phakathi’s guilty plea statement to be read in court, through his lawyer Adv Letau Kgobane.

After he pleaded guilty, acting judge Lesego Makolomakwe granted permission to members of the media to film and show Phakathi’s face.

Prior to this, the media were only allowed to take pictures of his back.

Phakathi from Daveyton on the East Rand, has been in a prison hospital since his arrest in March last year. He was shot in the leg as he allegedly fled from the police officers who had come to arrest him. The leg has since been amputated.

Phakathi allegedly terrorised women within the Ekurhuleni metro for nine years. He was arrested at Barcelona section in Etwatwa. His alleged rape spree dates back to 2012, with victims aged between 12 and 20 years, in the east of Benoni, including Daveyton, Putfontein and Crystal Park.

Phakathi has been kept at a prison hospital at Modderbee Correctional Services Centre.

kokam@sowetan.co.za