Anger over Delft attack

A CAPE Town man who allegedly raped a nine-year-old and then set her alight at the weekend will spend the next eight days in jail before he applies for bail.

On Sunday, the family of the child found her still alive huddled on top of a pile of rocks in the bush beside the R300 main route near Delft, Cape Town.

The girl, who is from Delft, had been on her way to her father’s house when she disappeared at about 8pm on Saturday.

Relatives carried the girl, wrapped in a blanket, to her mother’s house from where she was taken to Groote Schuur Hospital.

She suffered extensive burn wounds to her entire body.

Yesterday, the 27-year-old man from Philippi appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court. He cannot be named to protect the identity of the child.

State prosecutor Serra Dowries said he was facing charges of rape, sexual assault, abduction and attempted murder.

The accused said that he would apply for a legal aid lawyer for his bail application.

He had facial injuries and was allowed by the court to seek medical attention.

He was not asked to plead and the case was postponed to January 28.

Earlier, a group of residents, including the girl’s mother and grandmother, protested outside court.

The girl’s mother said: “He is cruel. How can he rape my child and then burn her?”

The grandmother said he must not get bail. “He must rot in jail.”

She warned that residents would kill him if he was granted bail.

Delft residents, mostly women, held placards that read “

(we are tired of being raped by men), “enough is enough”, “no bail”.

Resident Nonzuzo Magwebu said their children were unable to play in the area because of rapists.

Also speaking outside court, National Prosecuting Authority provincial spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said they would oppose bail “because the man was facing very serious charges”.