ROODEPOORT - A 58-year-old man from Dobsonville, Soweto, is expected to appear in the Roodepoort magistrate’s court.
He was arrested for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl.
The incident has sparked widespread national outrage, with calls for swift justice and stronger action against gender-based violence.
Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe condemned the incident, describing it as a grim reflection of the ongoing gender-based violence crisis in South Africa.
READ: Dobsonville pastor arrested for rape to appear in court
Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane said the crime is one of the most brutal forms of violence and called for the maximum sentence to be imposed if the accused is found guilty.
He also renewed calls for stronger protections for children and for improved enforcement of measures aimed at preventing sexual offences.
"We have to eradicate this scourge from our society. And I agree with you that it is an evil in our society, that every half an hour this happens, and our call is that the criminal justice system must do its best," Maimane said.