Two men and a boy were due to appear in Mpumalanga courts on Monday on charges of raping two girls in separate incidents over the weekend, police said.
In the first incident, a 13-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 23-year-old man when she went to visit him with a friend on Saturday at Kromrivier farm, near Piet Retief, police spokesperson Captain Abie Khoabane said.
”When the friend left, the suspect took advantage and started raping her. He was arrested and will appear in the Piet Retief Magistrate’s Court today [Monday].”
Meanwhile, two youths, aged 15 and 18, allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl in Balfour on Saturday afternoon.
”The girl was playing in the street when two suspects grabbed her, took her to a veld and took turns raping her. The rape was reported and confirmed.”
The two were arrested and will appear in the Balfour Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Khoabane warned parents not to leave their children unattended.
”Suspects are taking advantage of defenceless victims. It is senseless. They [children] cannot defend themselves and they [men] are taking advantage,” he said. — Sapa