The High Court in Gqeberha has sentenced 31-year-old Thembelani “Raroro” Andries to 11 life terms after he was found guilty of multiple rapes committed against six young boys in Motherwell in 2015, as well as a prior attempted rape in Aliwal North in 2014.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, the boys, aged between 11 and 13, were swimming at Swartkops Dam near Motherwell on May 3, 2015, when Andries lured them under false pretenses, claiming they would help slaughter a springbok.
Once isolated, he forced them to undress and subjected them to horrific sexual assaults over several hours, including anal rape, forced oral sex, and other acts.
“After the attack, he ordered them to leave without looking back, evading immediate arrest as he was unknown to the victims,” said Gantana.
The case was reopened for investigation in February 2024, leading to Andries’ arrest in Aliwal North on July 19, 2024, after forensic evidence linked him to the crimes.
His first court appearance took place in Motherwell on July 22, 2024.
“His conviction was secured due to diligent police work and survivor testimonies,” Gantana added.
Police said this was not Andries’ first violent offense. In 2014, he attacked a 20-year-old woman in Aliwal North, hitting her with a beer bottle and attempting to rape her.
He received a four-year suspended sentence at the time, a conviction that later helped link him to the Motherwell case.
Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Zithulele Dladla, praised the investigators and the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit for their work.
“This sentencing sends a strong message that SAPS will not tolerate crimes against women and children,” he stated.
“We applaud the bravery of the survivors and witnesses who ensured this perpetrator faced the full might of the law.”
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