Women and girls in Europe Informal Settlement, Gugulethu township, are living in fear following a surge in sexual assaults in the area. Community leaders report a sharp increase in attacks since May, with many victims too afraid to report incidents to the police due to fear of humiliation.
The crisis deepened this week when a 9-year-old girl went missing after leaving an Islamic school in Hanover Park. A frantic community search led to her discovery inside the home of a suspected sex offender, who is reportedly out on parole. Residents expressed outrage that they were not warned about the man’s presence in their neighborhood.
“Why wasn’t this community alerted about this man?” asked one frustrated resident. “There’s a clear lack of government intervention regarding the sexual offenders register. We’ve been calling for transparency for years—people deserve to know who lives near them, who teaches their children.”
Authorities had previously promised a public sex offenders registry but later backtracked, citing legal complications under the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act.
The girl’s grandfather described the family’s trauma, saying she remains deeply disturbed and unable to speak about the ordeal. “You’re looking for a person, and she’s just around the corner—you don’t even know,” he said.
Community members criticized the police for a slow response, forcing residents to organize their own search. “They took too long to act,” one resident said. “We had to take matters into our own hands.”
Police have urged the public to report delayed responses directly to the station for investigation. Meanwhile, the 51-year-old suspect is set to appear in court on Friday on rape charges, with residents demanding he remain behind bars.
