A Randfontein serial rapist who pleaded guilty to all of his crimes has tried to argue the reason he raped or attempted to rape four women was because they reminded him of his sister. A Times Select report says Bongani Mashego – who confessed to the rape, assault and robbery of four women in the area – admitted to his crimes and pleaded guilty in the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) at the end of May. He unsuccessfully tried to convince the court last week that he, too, was a victim of rape – at the hands of his sister. He was convicted on four counts of rape, four of attempted murder, two of robbery, and one of attempted rape, though he was unwilling to strike a sentence deal with the state. He instead opted to try to defend his actions, and explain why the court should deviate from the minimum life sentence he was due to receive. Claiming that he was molested by his uncle and sister when he was a child, he told Acting Judge Thomas Mathunzi this was the reason he kept raping women, as each of the targets reminded him of his sister. The judge sentenced Mashego to four life sentences for each of the rapes, 25 years each for the robbery counts, 10 years each for the attempted murder charges, and a further five years for the attempted rape. While Mashego tried to apply for leave to appeal just after the sentencing, the judge dismissed the application as well.