Just as the nation grieved the brutal murder of Hillary Gardee, a 43-year-old man was arrested for the rape of a three-year-old girl in Shangaan Hill.

According to a provincial police spokesperson, Col Donald Mdhluli, the child’s mother had left her girl with her neighbours on Monday May 9, as she always does whenever she goes away.

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“When she returned home at around 16:00, it is reported that she found her daughter playing with her eight-year-old brother, then later on, when she wanted to bathe her, the little girl told her mother that she was experiencing some pains in her body. On further probing, the girl informed her what had happened to her earlier,” said Mdhluli.

The mother reported the matter to the police.

On the same day, in a separate rape incident, a 38-year-old woman was attacked and raped by a man.

“Information at our disposal suggests that the woman was coming from her friend’s place at about 18:00, when she met a man who is known to her. He allegedly grabbed and dragged her to the nearest bush, where she raped her. The victim managed to break loose and reported the matter to the police,” said Mdhluli.

He said the suspect was tracked and arrested as well.

The two appeared in the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday May 10 on rape charges and were both remanded behind bars.

The provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Semakaleng Manamela, has assured the public that each case involving women and children will be regarded as
a priority.

“We hope our communities will continue to have confidence and trust in the ability of the police to investigate and ensure that all perpetrators of gender-based violence are brought to book. We need the support of the public as well as valuable information that can assist in our investigations,” Manamela said.