When a 63-year-old landlord from Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, offered a homeless family a place to stay, it seemed like a generous act from a respected member of the community.
But today, the landlord is facing charges of rape and attempted rape after allegedly demanding sex from two sisters in exchange for accommodation.
The landlord, who rents out his second home, had offered the homeless family a room to stay in until they could get back on their feet.
However, last Tuesday, he demanded that the 23-year-old daughter sleep with him in return for his “kindness”.
In an interview with Scrolla.Africa, the victim said that she had always looked up to the suspect as a family man and respected figure in the community.
“When my mother was kicked out of my grandmother’s home, he offered us a room to stay in,” she said. “He would often check on us during the day, bringing us food like vetkoek or bread for breakfast. He seemed friendly, and I never suspected anything.”
On the day of the incident, the landlord allegedly invited the victim to his home, where he raped her.
“I tried to resist, but he threatened to kick us out and make us homeless. He told me I should return the favour by making him happy,” she said.
The victim’s mother is heartbroken.
“I am devastated that our poverty was used to violate my children. I would never have accepted his offer if I had known he had ulterior motives.
“When I told my 16-year-old daughter about what happened, she revealed that he had also tried to rape her. He drove her to a secluded spot, but she scared him off by saying that I take her for monthly virginity testing, and I would know if she was no longer a virgin.”
The man appeared in the Daveyton Magistrate’s Court on Friday, and the case was postponed until 10 September for a formal bail hearing.
Over 500 residents gathered at the court to present a petition to deny the suspect bail.
