The family of a 21-year-old woman who was raped during a violent crime spree in Hovheni village, outside Tzaneen in Limpopo, is calling on police to apprehend the suspects.
Two armed men allegedly broke into nine homes in the early hours of Saturday morning, assaulting, raping, and robbing several residents. During the incidents, 65-year-old David Ncha was shot and later died in hospital.
The mother of one of the rape survivors who cannot be named to protect her identity says, “I heard the bang of a firearm. We heard their footsteps as they came to the room we were in, and as they kicked the door in. When they got to the room they asked me to give them money, they said a friend had told them that I had money. When I said I don’t have any money, they told me to take my clothes off, I said no and told them that I had just had a miscarriage, I even said I am HIV positive. That’s when they went on to rape my daughter.”
Limpopo police spokesperson Malesela Ledwaba says a manhunt is underway.
“In response to these heinous acts of crime, Limpopo Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has announced that a specialized task team comprising detectives from the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit, Crime Intelligence, and Tactical Response Team has been established to investigate these cases. We will not rest until they are behind bars,” said Ledwaba.
Local headman Makhosini Shikwambana says this is the third major incident in the area in recent months.
“The SAPS must intervene on this because even myself I am scared now because I don’t know what is happening. Even when I receive a call, I can’t go out now because I am still traumatized. Imagine four bullets. It’s just because of the grace of God, I could be dead now. This incident is the third time — last time it was murder, again they robbed the discount shop. Now it is another. So I think the police are failing us, especially Lenyenye police station. They are not doing their jobs,” he said.
