Two men are both facing charges of rape following two separate incidents, which both occurred in Saselane Trust, Bushbuckridge, earlier this month.

A provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, said both the victims were 25 and both the incidents had occurred while the victims’ mothers were nearby.

He said the first incident took place on April 18. Mohlala said the the victim’s stepfather (50) arrived home at 21:00 when she and her mother were already asleep. He said the man reportedly knocked at the door and was let in by the victim’s mother.

He asked for something to eat, and after eating, went to the room where the victim and her mother had been sleeping. He allegedly raped the 25-year-old while her mother watched. He then left the house.

Mohlala said the mother allegedly did not sympathise with her daughter, so she phoned her sister, who told her to report the matter to the police.

The second incident occurred on April 23 at 19:00. The suspect (32) arrived at the victim’s house while she was with her mother. Mohlala said the man is known and feared by the victim’s family. The suspect entered the home and allegedly dragged the victim to another house on the property, where he allegedly raped her.

Mohlala said it is also alleged that the man threatened to further assault her if she told anyone about the incident.

He said the man stays in the same neighbourhood and the victim reportedly shares the same surname, however, it is unclear if the suspect and victim are related.

The woman also reported the alleged rape to her sister, who told her to report it to the police.

Mohlala said the police’s preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect had allegedly raped the victim before in January.

The men were expected to appear in the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court yesterday.