One of the most wanted serial rapists has been finally arrested after the man had been on the run for more than a decade.

The 34-year-old suspect was apprehended by a devoted squad of police authorities today, Thursday 13 January 2022, after two weeks of tracking and tracing.

He had been on the run for 13 years and was apprehended after DNA samples that were retrieved from his multiple victims were traced and found to have belonged to him.

The suspect is accused of ambushing his victims by creeping up behind them and grabbing them by the neck, threatening to stab them.

He will then drag the victim to an open field or an abandoned house, where he will rape them and then flee.

All the rape instances occurred in the Bloemspruit area, and the victims range in age from 23 to 24 years old, with one victim being 43 years old. Between the years 2009 and 2013, is when he committed numerous sexual assaults.

On Monday, January 17th, 2022, the suspect will appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate court for 13 counts of rape as well as attempted murder.

According to official figures released nearly 10,000 rape cases and over 6,100 homicides were registered in South Africa between July and September this year.

According to the country’s newest crime statistics, the number of rape cases increased by 7.1 percent, from the third quarter of 2020.

In the third quarter of 2021, there were also 72,762 assault cases in South Africa.

At a press conference, Police Minister Bheki Cele said, “This data confirms once again that South Africa is an extremely violent society.”

The growing rape rates were “extremely troubling” and a “disgrace,” he said.

“Women and the most vulnerable members of our society make up the bulk of rape victims. “Of the 6,144 rape cases investigated, 3,951 occurred at the victim’s or the rapist’s home,” he stated.