A 52-year-old man appeared in the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga yesterday for allegedly raping his seven-year-old step-granddaughter.

According to a provincial police spokesperson Captain Mangoseni Nkosi, the complainant, who is the victim’s mother, was with her kids walking to their neighbour in Ga-Relane Trust.

While walking, she started talking to her kids and advising them not to allow anyone to touch their private parts. She further encouraged them to immediately inform her if such things happened to any of them.

“That’s when one of her children started to tell her that her step-grandfather had at one stage undressed himself, undressed the victim, and raped the victim. She asked the child if it was true. The victim confirmed that it was true that he had raped her on December 26, 2023,” Nkosi said.

A case of rape was opened against the accused at Bushbuckridge Police Station, and the man was arrested on Sunday.

He was remanded in custody until February 19 for a bail application.