Calm has been restored to the Tafelsig suburb of Mitchells Plain where residents clashed with police after news spread that a teenage boy had raped a 6-year-old girl.
The protesting crowd gathered on the corners of AZ Berman Drive and Bokkeveld Street. They were unhappy because the suspect was being “protected by police”.
They pelted police officers with rocks and burnt tyres on the road.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said: “This office can confirm that (Monday) afternoon there was an incident of public violence in the Tafelsig area on the corners of AZ Berman Drive and Bokkeveld Street.
‘‘Tyres were set alight and several incidents of stone-throwing occurred.”
Van Wyk said the community was “up in arms due to an alleged rape of a minor aged 6 years.
"It is further alleged that the suspect is believed to be a minor (boy) aged 14 years.”
“Due to the sensitive nature of the alleged incident we are not in a position to comment any further, however we can confirm at this stage that the preliminary investigation is still ongoing,” Van Wyk said.
No one has been arrested.
Mitchells Plain resident Shanice Appels said when she arrived at the scene she was told that police “arrested the wrong child”.
“But then we realised that the police were protecting the alleged perpetrator hence we marched towards the police station but they blocked the road which caused even more frustration.
“The reason for the protest was that we are tired and angry that every week one of our girls are raped and that the police don’t do anything about it,” Appels said.