The school guard accused of raping a 17-year-old Mahube Valley Secondary School matric pupil has made a brief appearance at the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate's Court.
Magistrate Maryke de la Rey told the accused he was facing a charge of rape. The 28-year-old man‚ who cannot be named at this stage because he was yet to plead‚ was appearing before court for the first time since his arrest.
He was hoping to make a formal bail application. De la Rey postponed the matter to Thursday for this.
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi revealed on Monday that the man had been arrested. Speaking at a press briefing‚ Lesufi decried increasing cases of rape implicating school guards.
Parallels have been drawn between this case and that of a guard at AB Xuma Primary School in Soweto‚ who is facing charges of rape and sexual assault of several children. Though it has been widely reported that 87 children had come forward with allegations against the man‚ he has so far been charged with three counts of rape and five of sexual assault.
Thoko Zikhali‚ principal of Mahube Valley Secondary School‚ said the case against the guard was opened on Thursday last week‚ two weeks after the incident.
The schoolgirl and the accused initially denied the alleged rape happened. Teachers questioned both after the accused was allegedly caught red-handed raping the girl.
The alleged rape happened while the matrics of Mahube Valley Secondary School‚ located in Mamelodi‚ were attending their matric dance in Bronkhorstspruit.
This explains why the matter was being heard at the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate's Court.
A throng of ANC Women's League members filled the court's gallery today. They travelled from Mamelodi‚ about 35km from Bronkhorstspruit‚ by taxi.
- SowetanLIVE
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