A Philippi creche teacher is terrified after she was raped inside the kitchen at the creche on 14 April. The woman (25) told Ezitshisayo that her rapist started by robbing her of her phone and money.
She said the incident happened while she was on her way to work on Friday 14 April around 7 am. The victim said the man who she always see sitting by a corner shop asked her for an R20, but she told him that she didn’t have money.
“He was irritated and said whenever he asks me for money, I always give him excuses. He grabbed my waist as if I was his girlfriend but when I pushed him away, he grabbed my purse and my phone,” she said.
The woman continued walking and went to the principal’s home to fetch the keys. On her way back, she saw the same man sitting by a corner shop. She walked past him, but when she was approaching the school gate, she realised that he was following her. When she noticed that he was holding an okapi in his hand.
“I asked him why he was following me since he had taken my phone and money but instead, he told me to shut up. He threatened to stab me and forced me to open the gate and enter the creche premises,” she said.
While inside, she opened the curtains for her classroom, but the man ordered her to close them. She told him that it was dark, and she needed to switch on the electricity from the main switch in the kitchen, but the man followed her.
“In the kitchen, he ordered me to take off my clothes and raped me from behind. After that he wiped himself with an apron that is used by the woman who cooks for the kids before leaving the creche premises,” she said.
Another teacher from the creche told Ezitshisayo that she met the men by the gate on his way out. When she asked him what he was doing at the school premises, he told the teacher to “ask your colleague” and also threatened to do the same thing to her.
The principal of the creche said she is devastated by the incident. “When she can to my house after the incident, she couldn’t talk but broke into tears,” said the principal as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie confirmed the incident.
“Preliminary information reveals that the 25-year-old victim was on her way to the crèche when she was accosted by an unknown suspect from behind. The suspect forced her onto the premises where he raped her and also robbed her of her cell phone. He thereafter fled the scene on foot.
“No arrests have been made yet. We appeal to anyone with information to please call the investigating officer, Sgt Malunga Zokufa at the Nyanga FCS on the standby number 082 559 4621 or Crime Stop at 0860 10111,” said Pojie.
