CAPE TOWN - Gugulethu police are investigating the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl by a 37-year-old suspect on Wednesday afternoon.
It is believed that the incident happened at around 4pm.
According to a resident, the suspect allegedly got into the house where the girl was sleeping through the window, took out a knife, and threatened to kill her if she shouted.
The suspect was caught by residents in the area but he managed to escape while he was being beaten.
Two weeks ago an elderly lady was raped and killed by a man who lives in the same area as her in Gugulethu.
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said the investigations into that matter continued.
“Kindly be advised that the matter you are referring to is still under investigation. No arrests have been made,” said Twigg.
The family of a 13-year-old girl could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
Gugulethu Development Forum (GDF) chairperson Vincent Domingo said the government needed to support women.
Ilitha Labantu spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali said the perpetrators’ acts stripped the dignity of children.
“As an organisation that advocates for the rights of women and children for over 33 years we are deeply concerned about the high rates of GBV and sexual violence plaguing our communities. Our children are victims to the worst forms of violence in society and we strongly believe that more needs to be done to eradicate this scourge. Not a week goes by without hearing of the death or rape of women and girls in the Cape Flats communities and we appeal to our justice system to impose the harshest sentences on those accused of perpetrating these crimes. We also appeal to our communities to report all cases of GBV to the police,” said Monakali.
Cape Times