(File, Nielen Bottomley, News24)
Mlondi Radebe, The Witness
Pietermaritzburg - Police have increased patrols in the Hayfields area of Pietermaritzburg after a 91-year-old woman was raped in her home on Friday.
The woman was alone at home when she was attacked.
The woman’s family and neighbours were shocked by the attack, and puzzled by how the man entered the house.
“This is a well-fenced home with a security system. How did this man enter the yard?” a neighbour at the scene asked.
As the Weekend Witness got to the scene, the woman walked out of her house with a walking stick in her right hand and the other arm held tightly by her daughter.
Shock
She appeared to be in shock as she was put in a car and taken to hospital.
A security guard cycling along the N3 near the home was asked by the police if he saw a person walking along the freeway carrying a bag. A reply in the affirmative caused the officers to rush to the N3, calling for a dog unit as they did so, but the man spotted by the guard appeared not to be the woman’s attacker and was set free.
He did not match the description of the attacker given to the police and was not in possession of any of the items stolen in the incident.
Police spokesperson Captain Thulani Zwane said these include a watch and computer monitor.
He advised residents to be vigilant and to contact the police if they encountered suspicious-looking strangers in the area.
“They must ensure that their doors and security gates are locked at all times, especially at night and when vulnerable women and children are alone at home.
“Police have increased their patrols and detectives have activated their intelligence network to identify, locate and arrest the alleged rapist as a matter of urgency,” said Zwane.
The woman was alone at home when she was attacked.
The woman’s family and neighbours were shocked by the attack, and puzzled by how the man entered the house.
“This is a well-fenced home with a security system. How did this man enter the yard?” a neighbour at the scene asked.
As the Weekend Witness got to the scene, the woman walked out of her house with a walking stick in her right hand and the other arm held tightly by her daughter.
Shock
She appeared to be in shock as she was put in a car and taken to hospital.
A security guard cycling along the N3 near the home was asked by the police if he saw a person walking along the freeway carrying a bag. A reply in the affirmative caused the officers to rush to the N3, calling for a dog unit as they did so, but the man spotted by the guard appeared not to be the woman’s attacker and was set free.
He did not match the description of the attacker given to the police and was not in possession of any of the items stolen in the incident.
Police spokesperson Captain Thulani Zwane said these include a watch and computer monitor.
He advised residents to be vigilant and to contact the police if they encountered suspicious-looking strangers in the area.
“They must ensure that their doors and security gates are locked at all times, especially at night and when vulnerable women and children are alone at home.
“Police have increased their patrols and detectives have activated their intelligence network to identify, locate and arrest the alleged rapist as a matter of urgency,” said Zwane.
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