A wave of anger and revulsion has swept through the Free State following the arrest of a 44-year-old tlof tlof loving man accused of repeatedly drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl from Thaba-Nchu.
The alleged perpetrator, arrested on Monday, 30 December 2024, has appeared in the Thaba-Nchu Magistrates Court on rape charges, facing a potential lengthy prison sentence.
The incident has prompted Free State Social Development MEC Mathabo Leeto to issue a strong condemnation and to call for increased community vigilance.
MEC Leeto described the crime as “a barbaric act,” expressing outrage at the drugging and subsequent impregnation of the young victim.
She stated, "I've instructed social workers and officials to visit the family and provide psychosocial support and family counselling. The department is confident that the judicial system will ensure justice is served for this young girl, with the perpetrator receiving the harshest sentence."
The case highlights a grim reality: South Africa's alarmingly high rate of teenage pregnancies. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) data reveals that between March 2021 and April 2022, a staggering 90,037 girls aged 10 to 19 gave birth across the country.
Even more disturbing is the fact that 660 of these pregnancies involved girls under the age of 13. This horrific statistic places South Africa among the nations with the highest rates of teen pregnancy globally.
The alleged actions of the 44-year-old man underscore the urgent need for community action to protect vulnerable children. The close relationship between the perpetrator and the victim's family adds another layer of betrayal and heartbreak to this already tragic situation. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive threat of sexual violence against minors.
In response to this appalling incident, MEC Leeto has urged residents to actively participate in the Molo Makhelwane programme, a community initiative designed to foster interaction, support, and neighbourhood watchfulness.
"We will intensively engage households through our Molo Makhelwane programme to promote moral regeneration and neighbourhood protection," she explained.
"The rape of one woman is a degradation and limitation to all women. Therefore, our communities should be each other’s security and protection so that we can root out such monsters and criminals who continue to abuse children and women in our neighbourhood," she added.
The Molo Makhelwane programme aims to empower communities to identify and address unsocial behaviours, including rape and gender-based violence (GBV)
