A 63-year-old landlord in Daveyton, is facing serious charges of rape after allegedly taking advantage of a desperate mother and her daughters. The community is up in arms, demanding justice for the victims and calling for the perpetrator to be held accountable.
The mother, who was left homeless with her two daughters, aged 16 and 24, found refuge in the landlord’s property. Initially, the landlord seemed kind, offering them free accommodation and even buying them food. However, his intentions were far from benevolent.
The landlord allegedly targeted the two daughters, attempting to rape the younger one, who managed to escape by claiming to be a member of the Amatshitshi group, a cultural group that prohibits sexual relations with men. He then turned his attention to the elder daughter, taking her to his house, locking her inside, and raping her.
The 24-year-old victim recounted the harrowing incident, saying the landlord pretended to be checking on his tenants when he found her sleeping. He then forced her to get out of bed and follow him, claiming he had bought something for them.
“He found me sleeping, opened the bedroom door, and told me to get out of bed and follow him. I thought he bought something for us, as he used to buy food for us,” she said.
The victim said they got into the car, and the landlord locked it before driving off.
“On the way, he told me he wanted to have sex with me, and I froze. I told him I couldn’t do it,” she said.
The victim said when they arrived at the landlord’s house, he locked all the doors.
“I lied that I was on my periods, but he told me to go clean myself. The windows and doors had burglar proofs, and there was no way to escape,” she said.
The victim said the man threatened to kick them out of his house if she refused to have sex with him. After the assault, he drove her back to her accommodation and warned her not to tell anyone.
The woman, shaken and traumatized, reported the incident to the Daveyton Police Station on 20 August. She is now living in fear, as some individuals have threatened her to drop the case.
The landlord was arrested on 21 August and appeared in the Daveyton Magistrates Court on 30 August. The case has been postponed to 10 September.
The community, outraged by the alleged actions of the landlord, has rallied together to demand justice for the victims. A gender-based violence group from Daveyton staged a protest outside the court, urging residents to sign a petition calling for the landlord to be denied bail.
“This man took advantage of the poor family, and he used his place to lure them into his hands,” said Laly Sikhosana, the group leader.
The community’s anger is palpable, fuelled by the vulnerability of the victims and the blatant abuse of power by the landlord.
