A disturbing series of incidents has shaken Verulam over the weekend, leaving a trail of trauma and devastation in its wake. Between Saturday, 2 November and Sunday, 3 November, at least four separate incidents of sexual violence were reported, including the molestation of two children, a brutal rape of a woman, a harrowing encounter where a woman managed to fend off her attacker, and a shocking case of animal cruelty where a dog was repeatedly raped, succumbing to its injuries.
In the first incident, the community of Riet River were baying for the blood of a man accused of molesting two minor children.
Members of Reaction Unit South Africa were called out to the scene and upon arrival found a crowd of approximately 60 men, women and children gathered around a man. They were allegedly hurling abuse and assaulting him.
Prem Balram, Spokesperson for RUSA said “It was alleged that the man was seen molesting his landlord’s two-year-old daughter on Saturday, 2 November.”
The child’s mother allegedly witnessed the incident and immediately mobilised the community. They apprehended the suspect and restrained him with rope. “A neighbour also informed reaction officers that she questioned her three-year-old daughter following the man’s apprehension and established that 57-year-old had also been molesting her child. The suspect denied the allegations.” He was handed over to the SAPS Verulam for further investigation.
In a second incident, a 30-year-old woman was raped by her drinking buddy in Hambanathi on Sunday, 3 November. RUSA were called out to the area after the victim alerted the public of the incident. Balram said: “She informed reaction officers that she was consuming alcohol with a man the previous night. She retired to her room for the night, but the suspect forced open the door, produced a knife, and demanded she remain silent. He then raped her.”
A second woman from the area allegedly informed officers that the same man accosted her on the road and attempted to force her into a bush. He fled after she resisted. Balram said: “According to residents, the suspect is known and was previously arrested for rape. This could not be immediately confirmed by reaction officers. The man absconded the area following the incident.”
In another incident on Sunday, 3 November a Waterloo resident managed to fend off a robber who attempted to rape her.
Balram said: “It was established that suspects forced open several individually rented rooms in the house. They stole a laptop, cellphone and five weaves. One suspect, who was armed with a firearm, attempted to rape a female in her room. She managed to fend him off while he was in the process of removing a condom from its packaging. The robbers thereafter fled the scene. The victims could not confirm how many suspects were involved in the robbery.”
In perhaps the most disturbing incident, a two year old male Africanis dog named Tonic was raped five times. Tonic died of injuries sustained during the rape.
RUSA received a call for assistance on Sunday, 3 November from a woman who reported that a man known to them was harassing five women living in a home in Waterloo. The caller informed reaction officers that her 79-year-old grandmother who lives nearby was also being harassed by the family friend.
Balram said: “According to the homeowner, the man attempted to break the glass door with a frozen two litre Cream Soda bottle but walked away when the glass remained intact. The caller explained that the relationship between the family and the 30-year-old man soured when they found him raping their dog at 4.30am one morning. The family reprimanded him but the rape continued. When Tonic died of his injuries resulting from the assault, the man was barred from entering the property.”
According to the family, the man was not criminally charged for bestiality, however Mpho Lebethe of the NSPCA has made contact with RUSA and will be conducting an investigation into the rape and death of Tonic.
