RAPE ACCUSED A NO SHOW

Tensions ran high outside the Wynberg Magistrates Court yesterday after the man accused of raping a nine-year-old girl from Hanover Park didn't appear.

Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg explained that due to new developments, the convicted rapist recently out on parole is now set face the magistrate today. 

In response to an enquiry, he said: "There are new developments, therefore he will only appear tomorrow."

The 51-year-old, whose identity has not yet been disclosed, is accused of giving the young girl R20 to go buy milk while she was walking to madrassah at a local mosque in Hanover Park.

A convicted rapist recently out on parole allegedly kept her inside his home for more than five hours before she was rescued.

According to community members, when news spread that the child was trapped inside, residents surrounded the house and demanded justice. A clash with police ensued.

Following his arrest, authorities had confirmed the suspect was expected to appear in court on Thursday; however, his absence sparked frustration and disappointment among community members who had travelled to support the child.

Community leader Mansoer Arendse said residents felt betrayed and criminalised for taking action to protect one of their own.

He says: “We are very disappointed. We came out here in numbers to support the victim. We were actually disappointed in how the whole process went off, how we, the community, stood up against the perpetrator and looked for the victim.”

Arendse criticised law enforcement's response, alleging excessive force was used against civilians trying to save the girl.

She says: “We were treated like criminals and the criminal was protected by the police, and we were shot at, even though we are community workers. In gang fights you don't see that kind of response from police, from law enforcement.”

He added that the community should have been informed about the presence of a known sex offender being released into their midst, especially given the suspect’s prior record.

Arendse says: “You should know what type of criminals are being released into your community for the safety of our children. If we knew about the suspect, then his place would have been the first place we looked for the girl because he is on the sex offenders list.”

He said the Correctional Services Department had failed the community by not engaging with them or warning of the parolee’s return.

Action Society spokesperson Kaylynn Palm echoed these concerns, calling for systemic reforms to better protect vulnerable children from reoffending parolees.

She says: “This case underscores the reality of parolees who reoffend after they are released from prison. It also highlights the need to make the National Register for Sexual Offenders public to keep the children in our communities safe.”

Palm confirmed Action Society would be conducting oversight on the matter and reiterated that the accused is expected to appear today.

She says: “Members of the Hanover Park community gathered outside the Wynberg Magistrates Court to express their anger and frustration. The community was outraged when they heard what happened to this girl and we will stand by them.”

She further stated that the continued trend of released offenders targeting children reflects deep failures in the current system.

She says: “We have a serious problem in this country with parolees being released back into communities only to victimise more women and children.

"These numbers keep climbing. According to the last statistics released by the Police Minister, 2 000 children were seriously assaulted in a three-month period between September and December last year.”