Man arrested after allegedly raping teenage boy

A 48-year-old man from Borcherds, George, was arrested on Saturday afternoon by members of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit on a charge of rape of a 13-year-old boy, reports George Herald.

The incident allegedly took place early on Saturday morning.

According to the Southern Cape Police spokesperson, Captain Malcolm Pojie, the alleged rapist lured the boy to accompany him to go and buy beer at a shebeen in the early hours of Saturday morning.

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“It is further alleged that when they reached Spandiel Street, the suspect forced the boy into the bushes next to a river where he threatened the boy and instructed him to undress himself.”

Pojie said the suspect allegedly attempted to sodomise the boy and forced him to performed sexual acts. He took the boy to his house where he made more attempts.

“Meanwhile the mother of the boy and friends started to search for the boy and ended up at the house of the suspect, where she forced the door open and found the boy with the suspect. This after the suspect initially indicated that the boy was not with him,” said Pojie.

The suspect appeared in the Thembalethu Magistrate’s Court on Monday. The case was postponed to August 12 for a bail application.

The George Herald received information that the suspect is an active member of the DA in Borcherds, which was confirmed by the party.

DA constituency head in George and member of Parliament, Mimmy Martha Gondwe, said she was “extremely horrified and disturbed” to learn of the rape.

“I am a mother of two minor children, I cannot begin to imagine what the family of the child concerned is going through during this very difficult and trying time. However, I would like to assure them that my thoughts and prayers are with them.”

She assured them that the DA condemned the incident.

“The DA condemns in the strongest possible terms all forms of abuse and violence against the women and children of our society, and remains committed to combating and ultimately eliminating all forms of abuse against our women and children,” she said.

“I remind the members of our various communities that the abuse of women and children can take various forms, such as sexual, physical and emotional abuse. The DA, therefore, requests community members to be vigilant in calling out and reporting such forms of abuse to the police, especially in instances where these heinous and deplorable acts of abuse are perpetuated against the most vulnerable people in our society.”

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