Women representing various organisations protested outside the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday October 17, to oppose bail for a man accused of kidnapping and raping his friend’s 15-year-old daughter.
It is alleged that the 34-year-old man lured the girl from her school on Thursday October 13, by telling her that her friend was calling her.
This was apparently done to get her off the school property so that he could kidnap her.
He allegedly held her overnight at a house in Manenberg, where he also allegedly raped her.
Philippi SAPS spokesperson, Captain Lance Goliath, confirmed that a case of rape and kidnapping was opened, and that the suspect made his first court appearance on Monday.
Captain Goliath commended the work of his colleagues and the community’s vigilance, which, he said, led to the arrest of the man on Friday October 14.
“Pupils from the school saw what happened and the police was informed,” he said.” The Commander of Visible Policing, Lieutenant Colonel Desmond Laing, Sector Commander, Warrant Officer Gregory Philander, Constable Themvelani Nyaluza and Constable Bradley Roberts went into full pursuit after a case of kidnapping was opened on Thursday October 13. The police officers followed up on all the leads and worked through the night. It came to light that the kidnapper was a friend of the father of the 15-year-old victim,” Captain Goliath explained.
“Staying in close contact with the family and the community, who joined in the search, the suspect was spotted the next morning (Friday October 14). Information lead police to a place where they found the girl, and the community alerted police about the whereabouts of the suspect. Lieutenant Colonel Desmond Laing and his team basically came to the rescue of the 34-year-old man, as the community was outraged and wanted to attack him.”
The principal of the school the girl attends, said he is relieved that she was found alive, but that he was sad for the trauma she had to go through. Athlone News is withholding the name of the school the girl attends as well as the principal’s name, in order to protect the girl’s identity.
“I only became aware of it on Friday morning (October 14). We will support the girl and her family however we can,” the principal said.
Hanif Loonat, the Mitchell’s Plain Community Police Forum (CPF) Cluster chairperson, said the “full might of the law must take its course”.
“This case must be escalated, because our children cannot be held as sex slaves. We live in a country with a high level of rape against the most vulnerable members of our society. I cannot speak specifically to this case, but generally, most times drug abuse is behind rapes and sexual assaults. Tik sexually enhances you – it makes you an animal, and for as long as we have drugs in our communities, we will have these types of crime.
“Many times, the rape is being perpetrated by a family member, and the family don’t want to report it. If you remain silent, you are part of the crime. People are sometimes scared to report cases against certain members of the community or family members. This has to stop.”
One of the women who protested outside Wynberg Magistrate’s Court, Maureen Aasvoel, echoed Mr Loonat’s call for an end to rape.
“What is happening in our communities is not normal, and we must not tolerate it any more. We as women gathered here today, collective say no to rape,” Ms Aasvoel said.
