Eastern Cape man arrested for raping and sexually assaulting underage girls

A 26-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping and sexually assaulting four under-age girls in Kwazakele, Eastern Cape, police said on Friday.

Police spokesperson Cpt Andre Beetge said the alarm was raised after a 11-year-old girl was admitted to Dora Nginza Hospital on June 24.

Beetge said she was bleeding from her private parts.

The girl told the doctor who examined her, two days later, that she had been raped.

He said she had also mentioned the man's name and another victim.

By Wednesday afternoon, three more girls came forward to open cases against the suspect.

Beetge said a nine-year-old girl opened a rape case, a second nine-year-old girl opened a sexual assault case while a 12-year-old girl opened an attempted rape case.

The man lived in the same street as the four girls and would lure them to his house by promising them to buy them chips and sweets.

The incidents happened between 2017 and 2018.

He was arrested on Wednesday evening and was charged with two cases of rape, one attempted rape case and a sexual assault case.

The man is expected to appear in the New Brighton Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Motherwell cluster commander Maj-Gen Dawie Rabie said the children seemed to have fallen prey to a serial rapist.

"We urge parents in this area to come forward where more child victims are identified. We also need parents to see the serious need of better adult supervision when children are allowed to play outside in the streets."