A man labelled by the South African Police Service (SAPS) as a serial rapist, has been sentenced to a 228-year prison term after the Port Elizabeth High Court found him guilty of a total of 17 different charges of rape leveled against him.

Mzikayise Mkavu pleaded guilty to 36 charges, according to buzzsouthafrica.com.

Confirming his imprisonment, SAPS stated that “An effective 228-years prison sentence was handed down today to a serial rapist who for years waged a reign of terror among the Kwanobuhle community.

“Mkavu terrorised the area around Kwanobuhle between 13 July 2008 and 2016. He raped several victims between the ages of 16 and 31 years old.”

Per police records, Mkavu was arrested in April 2016 after his DNA linked him to the rape charges, hence his subsequent trial and imprisonment.