Two men allegedly raped four minors, pupil in separate cases

The Limpopo department of social development has dispatched social workers to a school in Zebediela and a family in Thohoyandou for counselling after two men allegedly raped four minor children and an 18-year-old pupil in separate incidents at the weekend.

In the first incident, police said an 18-year-old Grade 12 pupil was walking alone in the bush to attend Saturday classes when she was grabbed and raped by a man who fled afterwards.

The girl’s desperate cries reached a passerby who called the police. The victim was later taken to hospital for medical attention.

Limpopo police provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba instructed the police to hunt down the suspect.

Limpopo MEC for education Polley Boshielo yesterday visited Tubake Secondary School in Zebediela outside Lebowakgomo with social workers to counsel pupils and teachers.

In the second incident, four children aged between four and 10 were allegedly raped by a 43-year-old man at Tswinga Gotha village, outside Thohoyandou in Venda, at the weekend.

The suspect was arrested on Sunday.

Police said two of the victims, aged eight and 10, were from the same family while the remaining victims were from different families. They were allegedly raped on Thursday and Friday.

“Community members received information about the incident, caught the suspect and started assaulting him,” said Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo yesterday. He said police later arrested the suspect.

Limpopo MEC for social development, Nkakareng Rakgoale, was heartbroken “to see children being allegedly raped by man who was old enough to be their father”.

“These are men who do not deserve to be called men because real men do not rape or abuse women and children,” said Rakgoale.

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