Cape Town - A 50-year-old Cape Flats community leader has been arrested for allegedly raping and impregnating a 15-year-old girl.
The teen, who is six months pregnant, has been put in a place of safety since the man’s arrest nearly two weeks ago.
Overcome Heights community leader William “Rasta” Lewis appeared in the Muizenberg Magistrates’ Court on July 19.
It’s alleged he’s been in a two-year relationship with the girl, who is in Grade 7 at a local primary school.
His live-in girlfriend and fellow community workers insist the girl’s mother knew about their relationship.
But on Monday the child’s mother, 40, who cannot be identified to protect her daughter’s identity, denied this, and said she trusted Lewis with her six children.
“Whenever we had a problem in the community or in our home, I would usually call him,” the mom tells the Daily Voice.
“He sometimes helped me financially and now people are accusing me of basically selling my daughter to him but that is not true.
“I don’t know anything about a relationship between them,” she says.
The woman says she only found out about her daughter’s pregnancy two weeks ago.
“She first told my son’s girlfriend because she was too scared to tell me,” she says.
“I was very sad, I am still sad. I went to [Lewis] and asked how he could do something like this.
“She is still a young child at primary school,” she adds.
The mother reported it to social workers, and the suspect was arrested.
Lewis’ girlfriend of 10 years and the mother of his four children says he confessed to having an affair with the girl after she confronted him.
“I feel hurt but they are both to blame,” the 29-year-old says.
“She used to come here looking for him. One day she also came here with her mother.
“I later heard rumours that she was pregnant. At first he denied it but weeks later he told me they were having an affair,” she says.
Lewis’ colleague Fouzia Cassiem claims he’s been seeing the girl for two years.
“The mother knew about the relationship but because she was getting money from Rasta she didn’t do anything,” she claims.
“That girl ran after him when she was supposed to be in school.”
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirms the arrest.
Daily Voice