Premier seeks united action against rape
2013-02-13 11:15
Rustenburg - North West Premier Thandi Modise has called for
united action against rape and for greater efforts to protect women and
children against sexual offences.
She said it was made even worse when the accused were
supposed to offer counselling to victims of sexual offences.
This comes after North West police said a teenage girl was
raped, allegedly by a pastor, in Phokeng near Rustenburg.
Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said the pastor, who was seconded
to the parish for a week, had the 17-year-old and her friends help him clean
the church premises in the evenings.
On Monday morning the 29-year-old pastor offered the girl a
ride to school.
"Unsuspicious, the young girl accepted the pastor's
offer. Instead of driving to school the suspect turned to the nearby bushes
where he allegedly raped the victim."
Ngubane said residents saw the vehicle turning into the
bushes with a young girl in school uniform and called the police.
Police arrived and allegedly found the pastor sexually
assaulting the girl. He was arrested and charged with rape. He was expected to
appear in the Bafokeng Magistrate's Court in Tlhabane on Wednesday.
Modise also condemned the rape of a 7-year-old girl in
Ganyesa. She called on local residents to help the police with information that
might lead to the arrest of the perpetrator.
According to police, the child was raped while playing alone
in a local park on Saturday.
- SAPA
