Strategies for the prevention of sexual offences against women and girl children need to be reviewed to curb escalating incidents of rape, North West Premier Thandi Modise said in condemning the gang rape of a 27-year-old woman in Makwassie near Wolmaranstad over the weekend.
“We reiterate our call for united and intensified action against the scourge of rape and for communities to work with the police to reclaim our streets and neighbourhoods from criminals, no bail and harsher sentences for perpetrators,” Premier Modise said on Tuesday.
Modise commented police for the swift arrest of the seven suspects who are alleged to have accosted the woman and her boyfriend shortly after they left a tavern in the early hours of Saturday morning.
According to the police the group of men who were armed with knives took their cellphones and allegedly took the lady and left the boyfriend behind who ran to the police station to report the incident.
The men were soon arrested by police. They are expected to appear in the Makwassie Magistrates' Court today on charges of armed robbery and rape.
Meanwhile, a 41-year old man arrested in connection with the murder of 11-year-old Ofentse Mogale from Mmakau is also expected to appear in the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrates Court.
The suspect is alleged to have gained entry to Ofentse’s home through a window and snatched her as she was sleeping with her younger sibling. The body of the girl was later found in a neighbour's shack, hidden under a bed. She had been strangled and presumably raped.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele, Spokesperson
Cell: 083 629 1987
Tel: 018 388 3705
Fax: 018 388 3157
E-mail: LKgwele@gmail.com
