Several suspects, including a 13-year-old boy, were arrested in the Western Cape on charges of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault.
Five suspects, aged between 13 and 42, were arrested in connection with various cases in Georgia and Knysna last weekend.
They are scheduled to make their first appearance in their respective magistrates’ courts this week.
Police spokesman Malcolm Podgie says in the case of the 3-year-old girl, the perpetrator allegedly lured the seven-year-old victim into bushes near her home and sexually assaulted her.
The child informed her mother, and the suspect, known to the victim, was identified and detained.
Poji says a social worker evaluated the suspect and released him to the custody of his parents pending further investigation into the incident.
Chemical castration
Meanwhile, the proposal of chemical castration as punishment for rapists has been put on the cards by various stakeholders in the country.
During the African National Congress’s political conference last month, the party’s transformation sub-committee brought up the idea again after it was initially rejected at the last political conference in 2017.
National Executive Committee member Lindiwe Sisulu, who chaired the commission, told a media briefing that the motion was revived by women delegates partly in response to a series of horrific attacks on women days before the conference.
Human rights activist Petros Maiola says he supports chemical castration.
Majolo, however, said that this should be implemented provided that a thorough investigation is carried out.
ANC Women’s League proposes chemical castration as punishment for rapists:
