The nine-year-old girl who was set on fire after being raped in Delft, Cape Town on the weekend is still in a critical condition, the Red Cross Children's Hospital said on Wednesday.
"The child is still in a critical, but stable condition in the intensive care unit, but the medical team are satisfied with her progress at the moment," hospital spokeswoman Angelique Jordaan said in a statement.
The girl was found alive by family relatives on Sunday after a 27-year-old man allegedly raped her then set her alight in bushes along the R300 highway.
He appeared in the Bellville Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
The matter was postponed to January 28 for "bail information", prosecutor Sarah Dowries said at the time.
He was arrested on Sunday by members of the Delft neighbourhood watch who had to protect him from angry residents demanding mob justice.
Western Cape community safety MEC Dan Plato said members of the Delft community should be applauded for assisting police with the arrest.
"This situation could easily have turned into one of vigilante violence and I applaud those members of the community who kept calm in a volatile situation and ensured that justice can take its course," Plato said.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 
