Rustenburg - The Moses Kotane local municipality in North West, near Rustenburg, will assist with the funeral cost of a six-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and hanged on a tree in Madikwe, the municipality said Thursday.
“Death of an innocent life especially a girl child during [the] commemoration of women's month has brought much pain and shock to the people of Madikwe township and Moses Kotane local municipality in particular,” said mayor Fetsa Mokati-Thebe.
Mokati-Thebe said Lebogang Mogopodi, 6, and a Grade 1 pupil at Poifo Primary School was playing with a friend at a local park on Sunday when a man appeared and gave her friend money to buy sweets at a nearby tuck shop. On her return, she did not find Lebogang at the park and immediately reported this to her parents.
“Upon hearing this, members of the community joined in and followed the footprint to the nearest bush where they found the child hanged and dead,” Mokati-Thebe said.
Lebogang Mogopodi would be laid to rest on Saturday in Madikwe township.
North West police said a 22-year-old man was arrested on Sunday for allegedly raping and killing Lebogang.
He appeared in the Madikwe Magistrate's Court on Monday and his case was postponed to September 14.
ANA