Johannesburg - As South Africa commemorated Human Rights Day on Wednesday, a five-year-old child was living with the still-fresh trauma of having been raped allegedly by a 49-year-old man.
The horrific incident allegedly took place while her two elder brothers were in the room next door.
On Monday afternoon, the three siblings - aged five, eight and 10 - were on their way back from church when a man they call "Malome" invited them to his home.
Ekurhuleni West SAPS spokesperson Captain Buyisile Mvelase said: “The uncle requested the two boys to sit in the dining room and asked the little girl to follow him to the bedroom.”
According to Mvelase, the man later gave the little girl R1 and each boy R5 after having sexually assaulted their younger sister.
“The children got home and slept until their mother noticed her daughter was having nightmares and shouting out 'Malome'. She immediately went to her eight-year-old son to ask what had happened to his sister as they had spent the day together," said Mvelase.
"He related the story to his mother and they immediately rushed the child to the local clinic, which referred them to a hospital in Vosloorus.”
The hospital confirmed that the five-year-old had been raped and asked them take the matter to the nearest police station.
According to the SAPS official, the mother was traumatised.
“When we spoke to her she said could not believe what had happened because Malome (the man) was considered a family friend and lived a street away,” said Mvelase.
“Yesterday, two detectives from the tracing unit in Katlehong were on their way to the suspect's house, after information about drug possession was received.
“They found the suspect was being beaten up by a mob of community members from Ramokonopi and Mofokeng sections, who said they heard that the man had raped a five-year-old girl the day before,” said Mvelase.
The police are continuing investigations, and an official confirmed that the 49-year-old man would appear in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court once discharged from hospital.
@Zwane_2li2ls