The MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, expressed her concern about the increase in abductions and the spate of violence against women and children in the province. This follows the kidnapping and rape of two young girls at Tshituni Tshafhasi in the Nzhelele area.
The two girls allegedly went missing on the afternoon of Saturday, 16 October. When they did not return home, their parents reported them missing at the Mphephu Police Station.
Police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said that the two girls, aged 13 and 15, were taken to a house that was rented by construction workers on 16 October, where they were repeatedly raped. Their families searched for them but could not find them, until the community started to search house by house. The girls were only released on the morning of 19 October, when the suspects saw that community members were searching the houses for the missing girls.
Two suspects, brothers Khuthadzo (33) and Given Nemahangani (28), were arrested in connection with the rape. They appeared in the Dzanani Magistrate's Court on 21 October. Their case was postponed to 28 October for a bail application.
According to Ramakhanya, the girls were prevented from shouting for help. "I'm shocked that the victims are still so young," she said, adding that the girls were being counselled by social workers. Ramakhanya warned parents to always know where their children are.
The family, who could not be named to protect the children's identities, thanked the police and community members for their support during the terrible four days their children had been missing.