A Cape Town man was arrested after he allegedly raped his seven-year-old daughter inside a church tent.
|||Cape Town - A church employee was arrested in Cape Town after he allegedly raped his seven-year-old daughter inside a church tent.
It’s alleged the 47-year-old Mitchells Plain man raped the girl inside the tent while her mother was sleeping.
Angry residents claim the girl’s mother was drunk when the alleged incident happened.
It’s believed the girl was taken from her mother’s bed into the tent where she was allegedly raped by her father and his friend.
The attack happened at the Hosanna Ministries Church, situated in New Woodlands.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said the dad of two was arrested and charged with rape.
“The Mitchells Plain Family violence, Child protection and Sexual offences [FCS] unit is investigating an alleged rape of a minor,” he said.
“The alleged rape occurred in New Woodlands. A 47-year-old man was arrested and the accused appeared in the Mitchells Plain Magistrate Court on August 16.”
On Thursday, a group of women confronted the girl’s mother who insists she does not know about the incident.
The 42-year-old mother also believes her husband is innocent and denies being drunk on the day of the alleged attack.
“I know nothing about this because she told me nothing,” the mom claimed.
“I was on my way home from work when people in the street told me my husband was assaulted because he touched my daughter.
“I can’t believe my husband would do something like that because I will not allow it. He is not that kind of man,” she insisted.
Resident Selma King, 54, said she took the girl into her care for a few days after the attack.
“She stayed with me for nine days, then I took her back home,” she said .
“But until now she still has not received any counselling.”
Residents have asked the church to remove the tent because it poses a threat.
Community leader Regina Martin said they’ve contacted the church’s pastor on numerous occasions.
“Whenever we call the pastor, he said he’s coming but he never does,” she said .
“There are all kinds of things happening in this tent including rapes and gangsters using the place to do drugs or store their stolen goods.”
Martin said she brought charges against the father because the mother refused to.
“When I was told about this, the incident had already happened two weeks prior,” she said .
“We need to do something about this because something like this can happen to other children as well.
“The community has had enough of this and we want this tent removed.
“This tent has been here for four years and it’s time they either build a church or the city should take their land back.”
The pastor of the church confirmed the man is employed by the church but refused to give any further comment.
Daily Voice