NELSPRUIT - A 26-year-old is due to appear in Hendrina Magistrate’s Court facing charges of raping a 6-year-old neighbour's daughter. The incident occurred on 23 August 2022, at Ext 6 Kwazamokuhle in Hendrina.

According to information two siblings aged 6 (girl) and 2 (boy) returned from school when they could not find their mother at home, but their father, also left for work at 14:30 for night shift duties.

As usual the father requested the neighbours to look after the kids as the mother was not yet back when he left. When she returned home, she fetched them and went to sleep.

At about 00:00, on 24 August 2022 the 6-year-old victim woke up and told the mother their neighbour had raped her when they were not home. A case of rape was reported at Hendrina Police Station.

The suspect was apprehended yesterday, 24 August 2022, at about 19:00 and charged with rape. He is expected to appear before the Hendrina Magistrate’s Court on Friday on 26 August 2022.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela is disturbed about the incident as neighbour are regarded parents to children.

Source: South African Police Service