Cape Times – A Plettenberg Bay man alleged to have raped his friend’s girlfriend is among six suspects Southern Cape police arrested for the crime at the weekend.
Police spokesperson Christopher Spies said a 30-year-old woman had visited her boyfriend on Saturday in Hani Street in Kwanokuthula township, where she slept over.
“She fell asleep and was awoken by the suspect, who resides with her boyfriend, at about 1am on Sunday morning when she discovered he violated her.”
Spies said after the woman reported the incident, a team was dispatched to the area, where they later arrested the 31-year-old man on a charge of rape.
In Thembalethu, George, two men were arrested on Friday following a report about a 32-year-old woman who was allegedly accosted by the men who beat her before she was raped.
Spies said the woman was walking in the street in Zone 8 when the suspects approached her.
“The suspects dragged her into a shack where she was assaulted by one and raped by the other. Both suspects, aged 21 and 32, were later arrested. They are facing charges of rape and assault respectively.”
Three men were also arrested on Friday in connection with separate rape incidents in George and Knysna.
According to Spies, all the suspects remained in custody at the weekend and were expected to appear in various courts today.
Spies said relentless efforts to eradicate gender based violence and crimes against women and children had led to a clampdown on sexual crime offenders by investigators attached to the George Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit.
Advocacy group Ilitha Labantu spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali said: “These incidents are a harsh reminder of the prevalence of rape and sexual violence in our society, particularly in the Western Cape. The province leads the country in cases of gender based violence.
“We appeal to the justice system to apply the full might of the law on all perpetrators of sexual violence and further appeal to the communities at large to play a greater role in helping to root out the scourge.”
He said there had been a concerning increase in the number of GBV cases, especially domestic violence.
Cape Times