Police in Limpopo are searching for a suspect who overpowered a five-year-old girl while she was walking on her way home from school, severely assaulted and possibly raped her and then left her lying in the veld.

The incident allegedly took place on Thursday, 09 May, in the Capricorn RDP settlement at Morebeng (Soekmekaar) when the girl left school to walk to her residence. She never returned home and was reported missing the same day. A search was launched, but she was not found until police received a call on Sunday evening at approximately 21:00 about the body of a girl that was found lying in a dense, bushy area. Police went to the scene and discovered the missing girl. She was still alive, but had been severely assaulted all over her body.

“The possibility that she might have been raped is also being investigated,” said provincial police spokesperson Col Ronel Otto.

The girl was taken for treatment to a local hospital at Botlokwa (Matoks), from where she was transferred to the Polokwane Provincial Hospital. At the time of going to press, the police reported that she is still in a serious condition. No arrests have been made yet in connection with this incident.

Provincial police commissioner Lt Gen Simon Mpembe expressed his utter shock and outrage over the incident and vowed that the police would use all their resources to track down the suspect. He also appealed to members of the community who might have witnessed something or anybody who might have information which might assist with the investigation to come forward.