Two rape cases were opened at the Witbank Police Station. This follows the first reported incident which happened on the evening of Saturday, June 3. The 15-year-old girl was raped in the bushes behind Pap and Vleis by two suspects.
Around 22:00 the girl’s grandmother came to collect the teenager and 30 minutes later the mother of the girl sent a ‘please call me’ text to the grandmother to hear if the two had a safe journey. The child phoned her mother and alleged they were at a certain tavern and she is waiting for her grandmother because she was buying airtime. The following day on Sunday, the mother heard her daughter at the door around 04:00, when she opened, the girl was crying. That is when she told her mother that she had been raped.
Another incident happened on Sunday, June 4 at 05:00. A 28-year-old woman was raped at Tshepo’s tavern when she went to the bathroom. As the woman was urinating on the ground outside the toilet, she was approached by two suspects who grabbed her and pulled her inside the toilet. She mentioned that it was dark and she could not see their faces.
At that time the woman was already undressed. She alleges that she did try to scream, calling her friend but she was not successful.
She was raped by one suspect as the other one watched.
Witbank Police spokesperson Capt Eddie Hall warned women of visiting taverns during the night stating that they must be very careful.
Could Tshepo’s tavern be a hot spot for crime? Besides the rape case that took place there, a 33-year-old man was murdered on Tuesday, May 30. Police received information about an assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm case at the tavern situated at Old Coronation. People on scene alleged that the man was beaten by community members after he attempted to break into a house. He tried to run but the public ran after him and caught him. As such he was beaten by the community and sustained multiple injuries. He was also shot in the right leg by the owner of the house which the deceased was trying to break into.
With regard to the alarming crimes happening at this tavern, Capt Hall said it was perhaps time police visited the place to investigate what could be the root of the crimes happening there. If need be, police will have to partner with the liquor board to look thoroughly into these cases as no place can be a crime play ground.
ALSO READ:
https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/80598/statutory-rape-of-three/
https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/91613/two-rape-cases-reported-witbank-police-station/
