A 22-year-old woman from Nancefield in Musina was raped several times by three knife-wielding men while her brother watched helplessly. They then robbed her of R27 and a cellphone, police have said.

The Musina SAPS spokeswoman, Const Deborah Bob, said the incident occurred on Sunday at around 03:00 in Nancefield. This was after the three armed men had broken into the victim’s house.

"The victim was sleeping when the three suspects descended onto her house in Nancefield where they then forced the door open. They ordered the woman to remove her clothes at knife-point before taking turns to rape her, while her brother watched helplessly," she said.

Bob said the three suspects then took a cellphone and R27 cash before they eventually fled the scene.

However, the victim managed to identify one of the three suspects and she reported the matter, resulting in police arresting him. The suspect in turn revealed the names of his accomplices, leading to their subsequent arrest. Bob said the trio, aged 15, 19 and 21 respectively, would appear in court soon on a rape charge.

"We are also urging community members to ensure that their premises have been secured properly, especially at night, to avoid such incidents," said the police spokeswoman.

The police at Siloam have also reported that two young girls from Phazimazuwa Village in Siloam area were allegedly raped by an unknown suspect while on their way to church, police have said.

The SAPS police spokesman for Siloam, Insp Mboneni Mudimeli, said the two girls, aged 12 and 10 respectively, were heading for church on Sunday, 7 April, at around 09:00. Along the way, they met the suspect who then confronted them and threatened them. "The suspect intercepted the two victims and forced them to a nearby river where he raped them before he fled," he said.

Mudimeli said the two girls then went home and alerted their mother about the incident, who in turn reported the matter to the police. Police have since launched a manhunt for the suspect. "We are now appealing to community members to assist us with information which could lead to our arresting the suspect. We would also like urge parents not to let minors to travel alone, to avoid the recurrence of such incidents," he said.