An alleged rapist was nabbed after one of his victims recognised him at a taxi rank nine months after the incident.
Metro Police officers nabbed the suspected rapist at the Bellville taxi rank on Saturday when a woman recognised him nine months after the incident had taken place, said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith.
Police have since revealed that the suspect had other charges pending.
On Saturday, the officers were doing crime prevention foot patrols when they were approached by a woman who informed them that she and a colleague were raped in November 2019 after a break-in at their premises.
She had spotted the perpetrator at the taxi rank, pointed him out to the officers and the 38-year-old man was arrested on the spot.
Smith says: “I applaud the woman for her courage to identify her rapist. Women’s Month is a time to celebrate the tenacity and strength of the women in society, but it is more poignant as we grapple with gender-based violence.
“I want to encourage the men to speak up and act to help us fight what has become a blight on our communities.”
He says it later emerged that the suspect in the case also has other charges pending against him.
The suspect was taken to Bellville South Police Station and will face charges including assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, burglary and burglary with intention to rape, added Smith.