Cape Times E-dition

A tale of two families in a quest for justice

SIYAVUYA MZANTSI siyavuya.mzantsi@inl.co.za

WHILE one family’s quest for justice for their child is starting to make strides, another family’s case is nowhere near getting the suspected rapist behind bars.

Eastern Cape police made a breakthrough in the rape and murder of a 5-year-old when they arrested a suspect, who was linked to the crime with DNA, two years after the incident in Gqeberha.

But in Delft, officers have appealed for the public to help them find a suspected rapist.

Police have urged the public to assist them in locating the man, who is said to have approached a 19-year-old and sexually assaulted her during an attempted robbery on June 29.

“The suspect is in his 20s, with no front upper teeth, 1.67m tall and of medium build. He was wearing a black hooded top, black tracksuit pants and running shoes, and was carrying a brown backpack.

“You may remain anonymous when providing information to SAPS,” said police spokesperson Captain Andrè Traut.

This came as the 24-year-old, arrested on Saturday for the murder and rape of Chantelle Makwena, in 2019, appeared in court yesterday.

The girl’s mother, Veronica Makwena, 23, and aunt, 34, left their children at their home in Withoogte, in Rocklands, with the alleged suspect, his girlfriend, and the girlfriend’s brother, to visit a friend in the same vicinity on August 2, 2019, at about 7pm. But when the two women returned at 10pm on the same night, they found the front door opened and none of the adults were there.

“An intensive search began for the missing child. At almost 3pm, the father, Justin Manele, 29, found the badly battered and bruised body of Chantelle in a toilet, near the house in Withoogte. She was half-naked and sustained serious head and facial injuries.

“On the same day, the community caught the alleged suspect and assaulted him,” said police spokesperson Priscilla Naidu.

Investigating officer Chantell Joubert recently received the forensic report, linking the suspect to the murder and rape of the child.

Eastern Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga has welcomed the arrest, saying: “Sexual violence meted (out) against our women and children is simply intolerable, and such acts cannot be ignored. Far too often, this vulnerable group is being murdered by those they love and trust.”

Anyone with information about the Delft incident can contact Sergeant Christell Frieslaar of the Delft Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit on 082 522 1040 or Crime Stop on 08600 1011.

METRO

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2021-08-03T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-08-03T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://capetimes.pressreader.com/article/281590948609588

African News Agency