The e-hailing driver accused of raping a 14-year-old girl has been granted R1 000 bail with conditions.
The 23-year-old suspect appeared in the Bela Bela Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo on Friday, 10 April 2026.
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The magistrate postponed the case to 25 June 2026 to wait for DNA results.
The incident happened on 27 March 2026 in Bela Bela. The victim’s 38-year-old mother is angry after the court let the suspect out on bail.
She said the court granted bail because he is a first-time offender with no previous or pending cases.
“I’m confused and worried for the safety of my daughter,” she said.
The mother said the court ordered the suspect to sign at the police station three days a week — on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
“We don’t know whether he will continue with e-hailing driving. I didn’t want him to be released on bail for the safety of my daughter. Now, my daughter will see him often,” she said.
She added that the community is also upset. “The suspect’s family was celebrating, singing, and clapping as if they had won the case,” she said.
However, the mother insists the suspect must pay for his “evil deeds.”
“We want to see the suspect sentenced at the end. The suspect looked happy after getting bail,” she said.
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The mother said her daughter is trying to cope and wants to go back to school next week.
Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said: “A 23-year-old has been arrested and is in custody for rape.”
