A two year-old child was allegedly raped by a 58 year-old suspect then dumped in some bushes on Sunday, 12 August, in the Sea Vista suburb of the St Francis Bay seaside town in the Eastern Cape.
The child and her mother were taken to hospital on Sunday.
Before his arrest the furious Sea Vista community assaulted the suspect on Sunday and the alleged rapist was taken to hospital, where he currently is under police guard. Angry community members marched to the St Francis Bay SAPS yesterday morning, 13 August, and toyi-toyi-ed outside, then five women went inside and handed over a list of complaints to the SAPS on duty.
Police said this morning it is believed that a suspect raped the baby after his girlfriend momentarily left her with him. The suspect’s girlfriend was allegedly the child minder.
The child minder went to the shop and left the baby with the alleged rapist. When she arrived at the shop she was told the child had been taken by her mother.
After the baby was found abandoned in the bushes at 5 pm on Sunday,, some community members assaulted the suspect and he was taken to hospital.
Yesterday, 13 August, a medical report confirmed the child had been sexually violated and police opened a rape case for investigation, with a possibility of additional charges later in the investigation. The suspect will appear in the Humansdorp Magistrate’s as soon as he is discharged from hospital.
According to a community member, interviewed by St Francis Chronicle, shortly after their march to the police station, the Sea Vista community wants the accused to stay behind bars and not get out on bail.
“The community complains because it is frustrated at the police and slow solving of crimes. The accused was beaten yesterday by community members and is now in the hospital,” the community member said.
“We asked to station commander to let us know when the man will go to trial because we want to go to the court as well to ensure the judge denies his bail. The commander said there wasn’t a case opened yet since the mother of the child was taken from work late on Sunday and the mother and daughter are in hospital. The commander said the SAPS is gathering evidence to secure an arrest.”
The community member also told St Francis chronicle that beside the rape of the small child. The community is angry about unsolved murder cases in the Sea Vista area.
– Article by Bev Mortimer
Photos of marchers toyi-toyi-ing outside the St Francis Bay police station yesterday morning. (Taken by community members).
St Francis Chronicle 