Cape Town - Public Order Police were called into Manenberg on Sunday as angry residents rioted and pelted cops with stones demanding an alleged sex predator be handed over to them.
Cops say angry residents went berserk after hearing the 27-year-old man was accused of sexually assaulting two girls, aged eight and nine.
Manenberg Police station commander, Brigadier Enolium Joseph, says the two kids are cousins and live with their 75-year-old grandmother in Thames Avenue.
“The 75-year-old grandmother has a 27-year-old boyfriend who lives in the house and who is accused of abusing the girls,” says Joseph.
“They are cousins and have been living with their granny for the last two years.
“It was discovered that the cousins have been violated since the beginning of December 2018, during school holidays.”
Joseph explains after one of the girls confided in her mother about the alleged abuse on Friday, a case was registered at the police station.
“Officers went looking for the suspect, but he went on the run since Friday,” says the top cop.
“On Sunday morning before 10am, we received a tip-off that he was at the house and officers went in.
“As they came out, the community became angry and wanted police to hand him over.”
He says residents wanted to assault the man: “They threatened to kill the ouma’s Ben Ten (grandmother's young lover).”
In a video made of the arrest, a large group of residents are seen around the grandmother’s house.
Officers fired teargas to disperse the crowd and took the suspect into custody.
Joseph says the case is being investigated by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit and the suspect is expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court soon.
He also had strong words for the community who interfered in the police’s work.
“This incident will be receiving our highest priority and FCS has already assigned a detective to investigate this serious violation of these young girls.
“The attacks on Saps members will not be tolerated, no matter how heinous or emotional a criminal incident is.
“SAPS has a duty to ensure that the law takes its course, everyone’s constitutional rights are protected, and should act impartial under any circumstances.
“We will not allow community to act lawless and threaten the rule of law.”
He says there were no arrests for public violence.