Community in uproar after 9-year-old girl found in parolee's home

A 51-year-old man has been charged with rape after a desperate search for a missing 9-year-old girl turned into a night of chaos and violence in Hanover Park, after she was found inside his home.

The young girl had been on her way to a madressa at a mosque at around 3pm on Tuesday when she reportedly encountered the man, who was recently released on parole, who handed her R20 and asked her to buy milk from a nearby tuckshop.

According to her family, she never returned.

Missing persons’ organisations were alerted and immediately began circulating posters of the child, sparking widespread concern as they went viral across social media.

Her father, 29, said he was informed of her disappearance just as he arrived in Hanover Park from work.

“I had just stepped out of the taxi when my mother phoned me to say my daughter hadn’t come home and they were looking for her,” he said.

“When I asked why I wasn’t told sooner, she said she had just come home and they’d already checked the mosque and searched the area.

"We went to the girl she was walking with, who told us that a man gave her R20 for milk.

"My daughter went to take the milk to him and never came back. That girl didn’t see where the man went.”

The father said he did not know the suspect, although he recognised the house where she was later found.

“I only found out at the hospital that he was on parole,” he said, adding that his daughter had spent more than five hours in the suspect’s home.

The family now plans to get trauma counselling for her.

Community members launched their search and, following leads from residents, including the girl’s companion, they located the child inside the home on Johnvlei Road, not far from where she disappeared.

Faith and Hope Missing Persons founder Veranique Williams said: “The moment the father contacted me, I made contact with all role players like the station commander of Phillipi and also FCS, and Captain Pretorius. We had a quick response, and that's why we had success. The community needs to know who is in their area, whether it is a parolee or someone who comes from jail, so that they can be aware."

By 8pm, hundreds of enraged residents had gathered outside the house. 

As tensions rose, law enforcement was deployed in full force, including the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU), Public Order Policing unit, and the city’s Law Enforcement team.

Angry residents demanded that police hand the suspect over.

Attempts to move the man into a Nyala armoured vehicle triggered a violent reaction.

Stones were thrown, shots were fired, and several people were injured.

Residents allege that police used live ammunition, with at least three residents reportedly shot in the legs.

Community activist, Moulana Tohaa Rodrigues, said the police response was not only slow, but one-sided.

“Once again, it’s a parolee. These men are released into our communities with no oversight. This is what causes chaos. The whole community rose to the occasion, but the police were reluctant to act. They defended the criminal rather than supporting the community.”

The violence reportedly continued until midnight.

Police spokesperson, Wesley Twigg, confirmed that officers came under attack while investigating the missing person report.

“Police members followed up on information about a missing 9-year-old girl who was found at the premises. A crowd of approximately 200 people gathered and demanded that the suspect be handed over to them.

“Police took action to disperse the riotous crowd. A 51-year-old male was taken in for questioning. Police vehicles were damaged. Nobody has been arrested for public violence. The investigation into the matter is ongoing.”

Twigg confirmed that the suspect was formally charged with rape and is expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, May 15.

He said there is a possibility that more charges may be added.

The incident bares similarities to other young girls being kidnapped and raped by parolees in Cape Town. 

Three years ago, a parole officer apologised to the family of Michaela Williams for not taking action against the 12-year-old girl’s rapist and killer, Steven Fortune, when he had broken his parole conditions.

The Grade 6 learner disappeared while playing in front of her home in Pelikan Park.

Two days later, cops arrested 49-year-old Fortune from New Horizon, who led police to where he’d left the girl's body in 9th Avenue, Schaapkraal.

In 2020, Moehydian Pangaker was out on parole when he raped and murdered 8-year-old Tazne van Wyk from Ravensmead.

He was subsequently found guilty of 21 of 27 charges which included eight counts of rape of children, sexual assault, sexual exploitation of children, several counts of assault on a child, kidnapping, incest, desecration of a corpse and absconding from parole.

Seven years ago, Randy Tango, 31, was out on parole for car theft when he was arrested for kidnapping, raping and murdering 11-year-old Stacha Arends in Mitchell's Plain.

Anyone with information about the Hanover Park incident is urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or submit a tip-off anonymously via the MySAPS mobile application.

Cape Argus