Doreen Mokgolo
An aspiring model from Giyani in Limpopo escaped the clutches of a suspected paedophile with the help of Springs Taxi drivers on Wednesday.
The 16-year-old girl was allegedly lured to Springs in Gauteng by the said suspect who had posed as a woman named Vanessa on Facebook.
The man told the unsuspecting girl that he will make her a famous model and that she will compete in a modelling competition where she will get a cash prize of R10,000.
He even convinced her parents that she will be reimbursed the money she used for transport.
The victim told Scrolla.Africa that she posted on Facebook Marketplace that she was looking for a modelling agency.
The man responded to her post on Facebook Messenger offering his services.
“He requested that I forward pictures in different outfits and that I will be competing with other girls where the winner will take home R10,000,” she told Scrolla.Africa.
On a daily basis she would receive tasks from the “agency” requesting different pictures.
The girl was later told she had made it to the top six in the “competition” and that she was required to send half naked pictures but she refused.
The man later invited her to Springs where she was told she would be attending a professional photoshoot.
But when she arrived at around 8pm, more than 500 kilometres from her village in Limpopo, the suspect told her that he could no longer fetch her and advised her to seek help from a taxi driver.
A long-distance taxi driver called Mbongiseni Kehumalo told Scrolla.Africa that he was concerned when he saw the teenager alone at night at the rank.
“I asked her who she was waiting for and she explained that she was waiting for a modelling agent who was on his way to her. I decided to wait with her because it wasn’t safe to leave her alone,” the taxi driver said.
The driver added that 15 minutes later the suspect forwarded her the address to a guest house where she should be dropped off.
They arrived at a guest house and the taxi driver became suspicious after the suspect asked that he leave her there.
“I decided to ask a female friend to accommodate her overnight,” Kehumalo said.
In the morning the suspect offered the minor R40 to travel back home and cancelled their agreement.
Upon hearing this, the taxi drivers lured the suspect to the rank.
They found videos of the suspect having sex with underage girls and naked pictures of underage girls on his phone. The taxi drivers allegedly assaulted him before paying for the girl to go back home.
Springs police spokesperson Sergeant Themba Tshabalala confirmed that they are investigating cases related to child pornography.
“The suspect was arrested and is expected to appear before the Springs Magistrates Court,” he added.
Pictured above: Taxi drivers Jabulani Zwani and Mbongiseni Kehumalo.
Source: Doreen Mokgolo
