A 58-year-old man who was regarded as a saviour in Dobsonville, Soweto, is at the centre of a rape case involving a 12-year-old girl.
Though the incident allegedly occurred on Good Friday, April 3, a video of its aftermath started circulating on social media at the weekend, sparking a national outrage.
In the video, the teenage girl is seen lying naked and seemingly dazed on the table while a woman confronts a man she accuses of sexual assault.
The man is expected to appear in the Roodepoort magistrate’s court again on Tuesday on a rape charge after making a brief appearance last week.
He was arrested on Saturday, April 4, in Kagiso after allegedly fleeing his Dobsonville home amid threats from the community to set his house on fire.
Sowetan visited the area on Monday and a neighbour described the man as a church elder who was helpful in the community. He even opened his home to the community to charge their cellphones, to get warm water, watch TV, and use his fridge during prolonged power outages in the area.
Residents say more than 100 households have been without electricity due to transformer issues.
According to the teenager’s mother, her daughter went to the man’s house across the road to charge her cellphone at about 7pm. At the time he was hosting a party.
While in the room charging her cellphone, it’s alleged the man overpowered the girl and raped her. He was reportedly interrupted by a neighbour who had gone there to charge her phone. The woman recorded the incident with her cellphone.
The child’s heartbroken mother said she was removing her children from the area. She said her daughter was still receiving medical care after the alleged ordeal.
Neighbours said the incident has left the community shaken, with some questioning their safety.
Another resident said the situation has been difficult to process.
According to residents, tensions escalated after the incident, with a video circulating widely online at the weekend.
The ANC in Johannesburg has visited the victim’s family and is expected to hold a protest against gender-based violence outside the court on Tuesday.
Sowetan
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