The Provincial Commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has ordered the police to prioritise the safety of women, children and vulnerable groups including the elderly.
This follows an alleged rape and kidnapping of a 15-year-old girl on Christmas Day until 27 December 2023 at Tshidzini village under Tshaulu policing precinct.
According to reports, the mother of the victim alleged that her daughter went to visit a relative at the same village last week on Saturday, 23 December 2023. Reportedly, on Monday 25 December 2023 at about 21:00, she was contacted on her cellphone and informed that her daughter left home intending to play with other children but she never returned and cannot be located.
She was never reported missing to the police until the victim’s mother was contacted on Wednesday, 27 December 2023 at about 19:00. The mother was told that her daughter was found by a passer-by at an abandoned room in the same village.
It is suspected that three unknown males were earlier seen coming out of the same room.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the 15-year-old girl was walking back home when she was forcefully dragged by three unknown male suspects who took her to the abandoned house.
One of the suspects raped the girl on Monday and Tuesday. After the incident, the trio left the victim at the house and a manhunt have since been launched for their apprehension.
“The safety of women and children has reached critical point. It is against this background that all resources in the Tshaulu policing precinct have been mobilised to apprehend the suspects,” said Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe.
“We must deal with pervasive patriarchal norms that promote the use of violence as an acceptable social practice. It cannot be right that women and children are continuously subjected to inhumane acts. This has to stop,” added Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe.
Anyone with information that can assist with investigations is urged to contact the Investigating Officer Captain Mzamane Shivambu on 082 565 7072 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or using MySAPSApp.
Police investigations are continuing.
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