Bloemfontein - A 33-year-old Oranjeville man has been arrested on 16 charges of raping minor boys, police said on Wednesday.
Police spokeswoman Sellwane Mapamela said the man was arrested and charged with the alleged crimes on Tuesday.
He would appear in the Heilbron Magistrate's Court soon.
Mapamela said police received a complaint from a school in Oranjeville and discovered 16 boys had made rape-related allegations against their sports coach.
It was alleged that the man held sport camps with the boys, and sexually assaulted some boys after practice sessions.
Mapamela said the man apparently threatened the victims Ä all between the ages of 13 and 16 now Ä with witchcraft and murder if they said anything.
Police said the dockets were referred to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual offences Unit in Sasolburg for further investigations.
Sapa