In another of South Africa’s ongoing spate of sadistic crimes committed by blacks and mixed-race coloureds, a Cape Town man no longer wishes to apply for bail, fearing reprisals from the public and even fellow criminals. He is being accused of having raped a 9-year old girl, after which he set her alight.
The girl is being treated for severe burn wounds in the Red Cross Children’s hospital. A spokeswoman for the hospital, Angelique Jordaan, said: “She was moved from the intensive care unit yesterday [Monday] and continues to receive the necessary treatment for her burn wounds.”
Appearing before magistrate Cyril Kroutz in the Belleville Magistrate’s Court yesterday, the 27-year old man had to face an enraged crowd, including relatives of the girl. One woman was so upset that she had to be removed from the court room.
A local politician and Deputy Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, also put in a token appearance.
Not only did the accused withdraw his bail application, but he also requested to be held in solitary confinement as he had been assaulted by other inmates at the Goodwood Prison in Cape Town, displaying facial wounds.
After some consideration, Magistrate Kroutz announced: “The request that the accused be kept in solitary confinement is granted. It seems his life is in danger.” He also ordered that the accused should receive medical attention and postponed the matter to 27 March.
The race of perpetrators in South Africa is usually filtered out by local media and the police, except where the criminal happens to be white. Non-mention of his race therefore means that he was either black or coloured. However, as the crimes took place in the coloured area of Delft in the Cape, it may be presumed that the accused is coloured.
He is being tried for kidnapping, sexual assault, rape and attempted murder. The state alleges that he abducted the child from her grandmother’s home in Delft, sexually assaulted and raped her, after which he poured oil over her and set her alight. According to medical personnel, she sustained 40% burn wounds all over her body. The acts were committed along the R300 highway in Delft approximately seven days ago.
After he had comitted his crimes, the accused was spotted with blood on his trousers and apprehended by Priscilla Mcentee, chairwoman of the Delft Suburban community watch.
“I said to him: ‘I am not accusing you of being a rapist. I am not accusing you of being a murderer. The only thing I want is you must tell me why you are full of blood’.” The man replied that he had been in a vehicle accident.
He was then held by vigilantes who did not harm him until the police arrived.