Celani Sikhakhane
An IFP councillor has been arrested and charged with statutory rape for impregnating a 14-year-old girl and trying to pay off her family by offering them an RDP house.
The crime came to light in September when the girl gave birth to the child. Social workers who were called to the hospital reported the case to the police.
Despite opening the criminal case in September, the 44-year-old PR councillor was able to stand in last month’s municipal elections and win another term.
The councillor was introduced to the girl’s family last year. The family was then living in a dilapidated house in kwaDukuza in KwaZulu-Natal.
Nondumiso Mthembu, a local community member, approached the councillor to ask his help to relocate the family to an RDP house.
But before relocating them, the suspect is alleged to have taken advantage of the family’s then 13-year-old daughter, allegedly raping the girl and getting her pregnant.
In an attempt to keep her quiet, the suspect allegedly bribed the girl with R100. He also told her family that he would oversee the construction of a brand new RDP house for them to live in.
Construction of the home never began.
“The councillor was supposed to assist the family with the RDP house and food parcels, but unfortunately the girl who lives with her granny ended up getting pregnant by the councillor,” a source close to the case told Scrolla.Africa.
The councillor was arrested on Saturday and has since appeared in KwaDukuza Magistrate’s Court. He has been released on R3,000 bail and is scheduled to return to court on 2 March 2022.
