People of various political affiliations gathered outside the Roodepoort magistrate’s court on Tuesday to wait for a rape-accused church elder to appear.
He was arrested on April 4 for the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl from Dobsonsville, Soweto. He allegedly raped her on Good Friday while she was charging her phone at his house, a service he offered to his neighbours following a prolonged power outage in the area.
He was arrested in Kagiso after he fled his house which the community wanted to set alight.
Outside, ActionSA women’s forum secretary Kea Shumba called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to act against the violence on women and children.
“This is wrong on so many levels, but my question remains: how many lives have been abused by the same person? The fact that they found out now does not mean the child is the only victim. As a rape victim myself, I know how it feels to carry that stigma into adult life,” she said.
“Ramaphosa, we have had enough as women in SA and we are scared for our children. It’s enough. Please act now.”
Members of the ANC and Sadtu were also in attendance.
Sowetan
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