Alexandra teen survives attempted rape on way to school
A 16-year-old Realogile High School learner narrowly escaped an attempted rape on her way to class. Her family now fears for her safety after the suspect was granted bail.
A routine walk to school turned into a nightmare for a 16-year-old girl from Realogile High School, who was ambushed and nearly raped on the morning of November 4.
Her mother said her daughter was on her usual route to school when an unknown man tried to force himself on her. “She was crying when she called me around 08:00. I was shocked, and then she said there was a man who wanted to rape her,” she recalled.
“He pulled her and said he would do it [have sexual intercourse with her] fast. My child was in her school uniform. She cried and struggled until she managed to break free and flee.”
Read more: Man in custody for alleged rape of a vulnerable woman
She added that the suspect allegedly chased her and caught up near the Setswetla cemetery, attempting to drag her into the grass. “Fortunately, a man appeared and intervened. That was when she managed to escape.”
She said she then called the girl’s father and urged him to return to the scene with their daughter so she could identify the suspect. “They went there and they found him,” she said.
But the journey to the police station was fraught with tension. In a township already scarred by rising cases of sexual violence, word of the attack spread quickly. Cars stopped, and residents attempted to assault the suspect. “The father of my child kept stopping them [residents], because he wanted to get to the police station.”
Ironically, the man accused of trying to sexually assault their daughter was spared mob justice by the very father of his victim.
Also read: Alexandra sees an increase of rape, common assault, and contact crime cases
The suspect appeared in the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court on November 24, facing charges of attempted rape. He was granted bail under strict conditions, including an order not to contact the victim.
The mother said her daughter remains at risk. “I am not happy at all, because my child still needs to go to school. There is no other route she can take, and no one can be sure he won’t try again.”
She fears the suspect may retaliate as the case proceeds. The case has been postponed to January 28, 2026, when the suspect is expected to reappear in the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court.
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