Eight cases of rape were reported in Soweto over the long weekend, and six arrests were made, police said on Monday.
Many of the rapes involved children, and in most cases the attackers were known to the victims, said Sergeant Richard Munyai.
An eight-year-old girl was raped at the Nancefield hostel on Friday. Her mother discovered the girl was in pain when she was bathing her, and realised she had been sexually abused. The man involved was arrested after the mother opened a case of rape against him.
A woman and a girl were raped by their boyfriends, after refusing to have sex with them. One woman was also assaulted with a knife, and the man was later arrested. In the other case, a 15-year-old child was locked up and raped by her boyfriend, who has not yet been arrested.
A 14-year-old child was raped by a 16-year-old who attacked her on her way home. He was arrested.
One woman was dragged out of a tavern by a man she knew, assaulted with a brick, and raped. She only escaped from him the next morning, and reported the matter to the police. He was arrested.
In another incident a woman was dragged into a back room, raped and assaulted. She screamed until the neighbours woke up, and the man was caught although he tried to run away.
All those arrested would appear in court on Monday, said Munyai. – Sapa