In a time where many South Africans struggle with unemployment and job scarcity, social media has become a platform for desperate job seekers.
However, the work search can take a dark turn when scammers exploit this vulnerability. One such case shocked Mzansi when a man from Limpopo, Ronny Maluleke known as the “Facebook rapist,” used fake job offers to lure victims into his trap.
According to Zimoja, Ronny targeted people looking for work, creating a fake Facebook profile to present himself as a job provider. He offered non-existent security and domestic jobs, he would lead them to isolated areas, where he would rob them at knifepoint or gunpoint and then subject them to brutal assaults.
Ronny was arrested in November 2021 at Lenyenye village. Through exceptional detective work, Sergeant Mokgadi Matjeka successfully opposed bail, ensuring that Ronny remained in custody until his conviction, according to a media statement by SAPS.
On Tuesday, 05 November 2024, he was found guilty and sentenced as follows:
19 counts of rape: 95 years imprisonment
12 counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances: 58 years imprisonment (to run concurrently with the 95 years for rape)
2 counts of housebreaking with intent to rape: 4 years imprisonment (to run concurrently with the rape counts)
The sentencing has been met with widespread support, including a statement from the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe. “This sentence will serve as a deterrent to would-be rapists, urging them to resist the temptation of engaging in such disgraceful and shameful acts,” said Lieutenant General Hadebe.
