FREE STATE – A wanted rape suspect, Tshidiso Michael Mokhuane (45), was re-arrested in Bloemspruit this week after evading justice since 2020. The apprehension was executed by the SAPS Free State Provincial Tracking Team, ending a years-long manhunt for the fugitive who had previously absconded while on bail for the serious charges.
According to an official statement from the SAPS Free State Provincial Tracking Team, acting on a credible tip-off, investigators traced Mokhuane to a hideout in an informal settlement near Suncity in the Bloemspruit area. He was taken into custody on Wednesday evening, 15 July 2026, at approximately 19:25.
The arrest is directly linked to an incident that occurred on 1 November 2020, at approximately 00:15. Authorities report that a 50-year-old victim and her current boyfriend were asleep at their Bloemspruit residence when they were awakened by the sound of breaking glass. Upon investigating the disturbance, they discovered Mokhuane, the victim’s ex-boyfriend, outside the property hurling insults and attempting to force his way inside.
Fearing for his safety, the victim’s boyfriend locked himself in a separate room. The suspect allegedly forced the victim to his shack, where he raped her and detained her inside until the following afternoon, at which point she managed to escape.
The traumatized victim immediately fled back to her boyfriend’s residence, and a rape case was formally opened at the Bloemspruit Police Station for further investigation. Although Mokhuane was initially arrested and subsequently granted bail, he failed to honor his scheduled court appearances. This non-compliance prompted the court to issue a warrant for his arrest.
Following his recent re-arrest, Mokhuane is expected to appear in the Bloemspruit Magistrate’s Court in the near future. He will face the primary charge of rape, alongside additional charges relating to his failure to appear in court. The Provincial Tracking Team continues to emphasize its relentless pursuit of justice and its commitment to tracking down fugitives who attempt to evade the legal process.