Family seek justice after attempted rape claims

AN ILINGE family is hoping the taxi driver they have accused of attempting to rape their 22-year-old family member in November is arrested.

According to the victim’s sister, her brother had approached a man for a cigarette when he was invited into a house where the man then attempted to kiss him.

The sister explained: “When they entered the house he closed the door. He wanted to rape him but he managed to get out.”

She said her brother had been badly affected by the incident. “He is no longer going around the township, he is always in his room.”

She said the family wanted the person involved in the attempted rape to be arrested.

“The community held meetings with the police to discuss the matter and after attending one meeting, [the accused] ran away and has not been seen since.”

Speaking about his experience, the victim said he had felt comfortable asking for a cigarette from two men standing outside a house because he did not suspect that one of them would want to rape him when they were alone together.

“Even when we were inside the house, he said I must take out my penis and I did. I thought he wanted to check whether I am a man or not as he is an old person who has a family,” he said.

He said when the man started to kiss him and tried to take his clothes off, he pushed him away and ran outside.

“There were meetings between the police and the community about the incident and in both those meetings I told the police that I want this person arrested,” he said.

However, by the time of print, the family had yet to go the police station to lay a charge.

Councillor Gloria Kibi said she knew about the incident from the community. “The man admitted to trying to rape the 22-year-old man but he ran away. When asked why, he said they used to do that in jail,” she said.

Kibi said no one knows where the accused is. “He left his wife and children here. The residents of the Ezitandini area are shocked by this.”

Police spokeswoman Captain Namhla Mdleleni said no case had been opened but police were aware of the incident. —