A suspect has been arrested for the double rape of a 51-year-old woman and her 7-year-old granddaughter at Chesterville in Durban. It’s alleged that the grandmother opened the door to a known suspect, who then threatened her with a knife, before he raped her and the granddaughter.
Angry residents stood outside the house in Chesterville and shouted that the suspect be found, while police and social workers were busy at the scene.
The grandmother lives with her daughter and two granddaughters aged 11 and 6.
During the incident, the 11-year old allegedly escaped through the window, to look for help.
A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, says she found the victim traumatised inside her house.
“She confirmed that the suspect also raped and strangled the child. When I checked the child’s panties, there was blood and there was also a trail of blood leading to the toilet. I left to seek help from other neighbours and told them what happened. When I went back to the house I saw the suspect and ran away. When he was asked what he’s doing at the victims’ house so early in the morning he said he went to look for his phones.”
A relative, who cannot be named to protect the victims’ identities, says the family is very angry.
“The problem I have with this whole thing is that this guy came here and did what he did and then he went away and came back again because he forgot his phone and came back to fetch his phone. That really angers me. So, what I want from the police is for them to do their job.”
Verulam community seeks justice
In a separate incident, a community in Verulam, north of Durban, is also demanding justice after a man was arrested for repeatedly raping his 15-year-old stepdaughter.
A video circulating on social media shows women in the community trying to attack the suspect, who was apprehended by a private security company, Reaction Unit-SA. The suspect was caught in the act by the teenager’s 81-year old grandmother.
The grandmother says she heard squeaking noises from the bed and went to investigate.
“At midnight, why (is) the bed shaking? (I) reckon (sic) why the bed shaking. I rather go see there what’s happening (sic). I saw him on top of the granddaughter. I saw everything.”
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala says they are concerned about the scourge of Gender-based Violence in the country.
Suspects in both cases have been arrested and will appear in court soon.
