Cape Town - Cape Flats residents want authorities to “clear out a tik den” where a 15-year-old girl was allegedly molested by her 31-year-old neighbour.
The accused, Sydney Ruiters, made his first appearance at the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday on a charge of sexual assault.
He was released on bail and warned not to return to the house in Village Heights, Lavender Hill.
The teen and her family live near the alleged drug den, and say they’ve been friends with their neighbours living in the house for years.
The child’s mother claims Ruiters asked her to return the men’s clippers she had borrowed when the alleged incident took place.
“She took the hair machine back to him and asked him for some lotion for her hands,” explains the 34-year-old mother.
“While she was busy applying the lotion to her hands, he rubbed his penis twice behind her back and kissed her in the neck.
“She got such a fright and pushed him away and ran out of the house. People want to say my child is ougat (promiscuous) but if she was that, she would have allowed him to do what he wanted.
“They claim she wanted to steal the rings, but that is a lie.
“I am proud of my child because she ran and told us what happened, these things happen on a daily basis and we think of parents whose children aren’t here anymore [due to sex predators].”
The mother confronted Ruiters and his wife the same day and police arrested him.
Police spokesperson, Captain FC van Wyk, confirms: “We can confirm a sexual assault case is registered at Steenberg SAPS for investigation. According to reports, the incident occurred on 8 September at Village Heights, Lavender Hill, in Steenberg.
“A 31-year-old male was arrested and the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) is investigating.”
The teen’s grandmother, 61, says residents are fed up of the “drug den” in their midst.
“I have banned my grandchildren from going there. They smoke tik there and there is always dumping of dirt there. We want the health department to step in.”
The Daily Voice visited the house on Thursday, where we were told Ruiters was at the police station with his wife.
Ruiters’ mother, who asked not to be identified, claims the teen tried to steal rings at the house.
The woman says she is disappointed because they’ve been neighbours for years.
“My son took the rings out of her hands. My son fed them and we do not feel good about this matter,” she says.