A 40-year-old man from Madabani was arrested for allegedly raping his daughter over a two-year period.
Police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said the family's neighbour had told the police that the 17-year-old girl had been repeatedly sexually abused by her father.
The girl was reportedly raped by her father since 2018, when she was only 15 years old. Mojapelo said the incidents allegedly happened when her mother was not home. The man had also allegedly bribed the little girl with money not to say anything. He called on community members to stand against the abuse of children and women.
"We will do everything in our power to make sure that all these suspects face the full might of the law. We urge the investigating team, the prosecution team as well as the judiciary to ensure that justice is served in these cases," said Mojapelo.
The MEC for Social Development, Nkakareng Rakgoale, has condemned the gruesome incident and said she remained concerned about the unabated gender-based violence in the province. "What worries me the most is that some of these victims are vulnerable members of our society. Children are supposed to be loved and cared for. I urge parents to always be on high alert and be observant about their children," she said. Rakgoale appealed to men not to rape and she requested abused women and child to report such crimes to the police.
The suspect appeared in the Tshilwavhusiku Magistrate's Court on Tuesday and was given bail of R500. The case was postponed to 1 December for further investigation.