Incidents of rape and gender-based violence continue to rise in Stellenbosch, despite interventions by local authorities, organisations and civil society.
Stellenbosch police are concerned about this spike, following a spate of rape cases over the last few weeks amid preparations for 16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women and Children.
In the first incident, a 16-year-old victim was abducted and raped between 07:15 and 08:30 in Ndumela Street, Kayamandi on 3 November.
According to police reports the victim was walking to school when a silver vehicle with no registration number stopped next to her. “Two unknown males got out of the vehicle wearing balaclavas over their faces,” said police spokesperson Capt Nathalie Martin, providing more details. “They then put something over her face and she passed out. The only thing she can remember was being woken by a stranger on the side of the road in Masithandane Street with her skirt ripped and tights pulled down. The victim was assisted with medical attention and found to have been raped. No arrest has yet been made.”
In the second incident, a 13-year-old girl was abducted at 20:00 in Mengo Street, Ezingcambini in Kayamandi on 4 November.
“The victim was walking home when an unknown male passed her by in the opposite direction,” Martin related. “She noticed a white vehicle parked in the road and was shocked when a stranger picked her up from behind.
“She started to fight and scream, and her assailant was joined by the same unknown male who had passed her by just before, who helped force her into the vehicle. The suspects spoke English and their vehicle stopped at the place that sells sheep heads at Strong Yard, Ezingcambini. They then pulled her out of the vehicle and raped her, bundled her back into the vehicle and dropped her in Emthini Street.” No arrests had been made at the time of posting.
Another woman was raped by her ex-boyfriend at Enkanini on 5 November, about 03:00.
According to police reports the victim was in her shack with a friend when her ex-boyfriend arrived. He assaulted her in front of her friend, whom he dismissed from the shack. “After the friend left he raped the victim,” said Martin. “After raping her he forced her to take a bath but she refused. According to the victim it was not the first time her boyfriend had raped her. She also sustained bruises to her left eye from the assault.” She added the victim was taken for medical assistance and a criminal case was opened, and the suspect was arrested and charged with rape.
The last incident took place at around 11:40 on 6 November in Thubelitsha, Kayamandi, where a woman was raped by a supposed family friend.
Martin said: “The victim was walking in Thubelitsha when she met a friend of her brother’s, whom she asked for R10 to buy a cooldrink. He told her his money was at home and invited her to accompany him there. There he took the key to an outside room, bade her accompany him there and locked the door. On enquiring why she was there he said he wanted one round of sex before giving her the money. She refused saying he was older than her. The suspect then pushed the victim down on the bed in the room and raped her. No arrest has been made.”
Martin said she believes the upcoming campaign of no violence against women and children should be 365 days instead of 16. “The police will do intensive investigation of these cases and will make arrests with successful prosecution,” she said. “Anyone with information is requested to contact the Stellenbosch Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences [FCS] Unit on 021 809 9165/8.”
