The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has confirmed that a police constable is being investigated for two counts of rape, kidnapping and intimidation in Mandeni in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
It is alleged that the 36-year-old raped two teenage girls, first in June and later in October this year.
IPID Spokesperson Grace Langa says it is believed that the suspect committed the second rape, while the first case was still being investigated.
“She went to buy airtime with her friends when they met the officer who offered a lift and instead he drove straight to his house. It is alleged that the girls requested to use the bathroom and instead they ran away. The police officer chased behind them and managed to catch the 15-year-old girl. He locked the girl into the house, raped her on the 13th and the following day he went to work and continued to rape her and dropped her off at home. The very same constable committed another rape. He met a 16-year-old and he threatened to forcefully take the girl, raped her on the 27th and released her the next day and took her home. It is alleged that he then forcefully took the complainant and told her to go and withdraw the case against him.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale says government is not losing the fight against gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa. He says government imbizos are instrumental where healing programmes are introduced to the victims.
Mathale attended a ministerial imbizo in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape as part of the police services’ ongoing efforts to reduce gender-based violence.
