The incident occurred on Monday morning at Kabokweni, Nelspruit.
Spokesperson of the Mpumalanga police Brig Leonard Hlathi said: “The matter was immediately reported to the police, who swiftly arrested the man. He is expected to appear at the Kabokweni Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 24 June on a charge of rape.”
According to Hlathi the matter is still under intense investigation and not much can be divulged.
In a separate incident, a 13-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her 36-year-old stepfather Monday evening at Schoemansdal. Reports indicate that the girl complained that she was not feeling well and she was taken to a local clinic whereupon medical examination, it was confirmed that she had been raped. The matter was reported to the police and a case of rape was opened. Police started with the investigation where they swiftly arrested the suspect on the same day the matter was reported. He is expected to appear at the Tonga Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday 24 June facing charges of rape.
In another incident, which occurred at Bushbuckridge between March and June 20, a 13-year-old girl became a victim of statutory rape involving a 35-year-old man she was apparently in a relationship with. Information revealed that the girl’s mother tried several times to fetch her daughter from the man’s house but she’d always go back.
The matter was reported to the police following the mother’s several attempts to get her daughter back. A case of Statutory Rape was opened and preliminary investigations have since revealed that the man had been living with the girl at Health Centre Trust near Bushbuckridge since March. The suspect was arrested on Tuesday, 23 June and is expected to appear at the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday 24 June.
The Provincial Commissioner of South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma has expressed his disappointment, as these men were supposed to play a father-figure role to the young girls but instead took advantage and violated them.
“Everyone is encouraged to take a stand against the plight of children, hence we will do everything in our power to make sure that all these suspects face the full might of the law. We urge the investigation team, the Prosecution team as well as the Judiciary to ensure that justice is served in these cases involving the young girls whose future has been crushed by these suspects,” said General Zuma.
