GEORGE NEWS - A 47-year-old man from Zone 9, Thembalethu was arrested last week on rape charges after his neighbours found out that their 13-year-old daughter was pregnant.
It is alleged that the suspect raped the victim, who is his daughter's friend, on three separate occasions.
According to the victim's mother, the first incident took place in February this year.
The mother only became aware of what had happened when she noticed that her daughter had "missed her periods". The girl was taken to a clinic for a check-up and it was confirmed that she was two months pregnant.
The mother told the George Herald, "My daughter told me that it started when she went to the man's house to look for her friend, who is his daughter. Upon entering the house, he pushed my daughter onto the couch, took her clothes off and raped her. Afterwards he gave her R5."
The mother said this was repeated on two other occasions. After these revelations, the man, who is well known to the girl's family, was arrested at his workplace and appeared in the Thembalethu Magistrate's Court on Monday 14 October. The matter was postponed to 29 October for bail application. He remains in custody.
The mother said the man was like a family friend and a well-known man in the community, and that she never thought he could do this to her child as he resembled a father figure. "This has torn me apart and I almost died from shock. I have known him for many years. He has indeed brought deep pain to my family. I can't even imagine what my child is going through. He has destroyed our lives."
A media inquiry was sent to the police, but no response was received before going to press.
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