SQUATTER camp residents were left in shock after a 28-year-old man allegedly raped a 12-year-old child.
The victim’s mum from Sesikhona in Philippi East, Cape Town, told Daily Sun that she received a call from her sister informing her of the incident on Friday, 15 January.
“I was working night shift and had just left home when I got a call that my baby had been raped,” she said.
The mum rushed home to find that the suspect had been caught by residents. She said he didn’t deny raping her daughter.
“My daughter told me that the suspect asked her to go buy him a cold drink. When she went to get the money, he dragged her inside and raped her,” she said.
The mum said the suspect played loud music so that no one could hear what was going on.
“My daughter told him to stop because it was painful, but he told her she would get used to it.
“He took my child’s virginity and I want him to rot in jail,” she said.
The mum said the suspect was supposed to appear in court on Monday, 18 January, but that didn’t happen because he tried to commit suicide.
“I was told he tried to do it with a jersey and was rushed to hospital. I pray that he survived so he can pay for what he did.
“He cannot just rape my child and then die.”
The mum asked the SunTeam to help provide counselling for her daughter.
“I was told to wait until 1 March for counselling, but that is too long. I am hoping that Daily Sun will assist,” she said.
The mum said her daughter had not been sleeping properly since the incident.
“I cannot continue watching my daughter suffer like this. I need help,” she said.
A resident said they didn’t want to see the suspect again.
“If he survives, he must make sure he goes to another area.
“We don’t want to see him again. Our kids are not safe around him,” the resident said.
