Staff Reporter
A 57-year-old suspect this week appeared at the Heilbron Magistrates Court, about 310km northeast of Bloemfontein, for sexually his 15-year-old granddaughter.
The accused may not be named in order to protect the identity of the complainant.
In a statement released Friday, police said it is believed the attack happened some time in December 2019 when the minor visited her mother’s maternal home for the duration of the school holidays.
“During her stay at her grandparents’ house, her grandfather sexually assaulted her on different occasions,” read part of the statement.
“The victim could not report the matter to anyone as the suspect was threatening her. But eventually she told her mother who notified police.”
The man was arrested on March 8.
The accused was released on a bail of R500 when he appeared in court on Wednesday.
The case was postponed March 19.
South Africa has in recent years recorded a marked increase in sexual offences.
According to the police, sexual offences are sexual activities that a person has not consented to and these may include rape, sexual assault, attempted sexual offence and contact sexual offence.
They say the acts make a victim feel uncomfortable, frightened or threatened.
According to the latest national crime statistics released by the police in September last year, between April 2018 and March 2019, South Africa recorded a 4.6 percent increase in cases of sexual assault from 50 108 to 52 420. At least 41 583 of them were rape cases while 7 437 consisted of sexual assault.
The Free State saw a 5.3 percent increase in sexual offences last year to 3 457 cases. There were 2 646 cases of rape and 517 of sexual assault.