Byline: Refeloe Letsoisa
18 January 2023
As mandated by the Constitution of South Africa, the police in the province of Mpumalanga continue to do their best to protect children, thanks to parents who collaborate with the authorities to achieve this goal.
As a result of the cooperation from parents, two men are facing charges of allegedly raping their daughters.
One is a 35-year-old man from Balfour who appeared at the Balfour Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday,16 January 2024 for allegedly raping his stepdaughter (08) and the case was postponed to Thursday, 18 January 2024 for legal representation.
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The suspect has been remanded in custody.
According to a report, the mother of the victim, who is also the spouse of the suspect, discovered this shocking news on Sunday, 14 January 2024 after noticing her companion’s underwear.
It is said that she confronted him about it, and he denied any wrongdoing.
The girl’s mother became concerned and immediately approached the victim, who broke the silence of her atrocities of being allegedly raped by the man, a traumatic experience that is believed to have begun somewhere in 2023 until this year (2024). These allegations are still under investigation.
The matter was reported to the police, and a team of SAPS members from the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit responded swiftly on the same day it was reported (14 January 2024) hence, the suspect was arrested and charged with raping a minor.
Meanwhile, the second one involves a 42-year-old man from Bethal who is facing similar accusations of raping his own biological daughter (13) and is due to appear at the Bethal Magistrate’s Court for the second time on Friday, 19 January 2024 where he is expected to make a formal bail application after appearing last week (09 January 2024) for the first time.
His court appearance came after his arrest by the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FSC).
It is also alleged that the victim was sexually victimised by the suspect in September 2023.
Reports indicate that on 04 January 2024 it was discovered that the girl was pregnant; thereafter, the suspect apparently threatened to kill the victim if she revealed anything to anyone about what had happened between them.
It is further alleged that he even offered money to the victim to remain silent.
Later that day, the stepmother approached the victim to ask her about the pregnancy, and that is when she broke her silence, with the father being the suspect.
The brave stepmother reportedly informed the girl’s biological mother, and the matter was eventually reported to the police.
The case was assigned to the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, which conducted the investigation.
The suspect was then arrested and charged with rape on 08 January 2024.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has appreciated the bravery of the two women and emphasised that our community needs such parents.
“We really need mothers who will blow the whistle and not tolerate such a crime in the name of love at the expense of innocent children,” said the General.
