The family of a man accused of raping his daughter is living in fear after a mob of angry residents attacked and forced them out of his house last Thursday.
The 58-year-old man is accused of raping his 24-year-old daughter for over 18 years.
The family’s eviction comes after the victim from Kwa-Thema, Ekurhuleni couldn’t take it any more and opened up about her rape ordeal to a women on her street, seeking intervention.
The angry mob blamed the suspect’s fiancée, who cannot be named, for supporting the suspect, even when the victim spoke out about the alleged rapes.
Speaking to Scrolla.Africa, the fiancée said she has lived in fear of the mob since the news of the alleged rapes broke out.
“They were angry. They were armed with sjamboks and sticks and baying for my blood as if I’d turned a blind eye when she was abused by her father. I managed to escape by sheer luck,” said the fiancée.
“They vandalised the house. They broke windows and doors and the furniture.”
She said that her only crime is falling in love with the man accused of raping his daughter, and not believing that the victim was raped on the weekend in question.
“I believe she is coached by the neighbours because they want to benefit from her disability grant,” she said.
“They have won because she has now moved in with them and is contributing to the household with the grant.”
The accused’s sister said it is sad that the victim has found refuge with the neighbours and not the family.
“Though we are seen as if we are supporting my brother over the victim, we are supporting both of them,” she said.
“It pains me that my niece feels that we were not there to protect her. We are here now. It is only through this court that the truth will come out.”
The bail hearing has been postponed to 29 November by the Springs Magistrate’s Court.