The older brother of Amantle Samane, the six-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and killed by Mozambican national, Pethe Sara Simiao, has described his sister as feisty, resilient and stubborn.
Simiao was arrested by Gauteng police officials on Wednesday evening.
Speaking to The Star on Thursday, 18-year-old Kamogelo Samane, said the reason his sister’s alleged murderer and rapist was apprehended shortly after the Monday incident that sent shockwaves among the Orlando East community was because of his sister’s fierce nature.
“It pains us as a family that Amantle died in this manner. She was not sick or anything but died in such a brutal manner. This was not her time to die.
“We are thankful to the community and the residents of Orlando East who came out in their numbers to support us. If it was not for my sister’s stubborn spirit, I do not think we would have been able to arrest the suspect at such a short time,“ he said.
Amantle’s half-naked body was found in an empty shack two streets away from her home on Monday, leaving the community enraged.
During a media briefing at the Eldorado Park police station, Gauteng Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni confirmed Simiao’s illegal status in South Africa, stating that he entered the country in 2022 and was not supposed to be present.
Mthombeni added that a case against the landlord harbouring Simiao would also be pursued, drawing attention to the serious implications of illegal immigration.
In response to the community’s frustrations over safety and the perceived failure of the legal system to protect them, local residents voiced their discontent.
Mavis Dube, a concerned community member, passionately argued that women should have taken the lead in dealing with the suspect, stating: “If it was up to us, we could have beaten him up to teach him a lesson. None of this would have happened if our leaders were serious about protecting us from such people.”
The emotional toll of the case has prompted calls for better safeguarding measures for children against violence and abuse.
Commissioner Mthombeni encouraged communities to protect their children and work in harmony with law enforcement, adding: “There was quite an intensive investigation collaborating with some of the witnesses and on that score, we are confirming as SAPS the arrest of the suspect for rape and murder of a six-year-old. It’s high time that the community must work closely with the police and the community must take greater responsibility for the safety of their children.”
The Star
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za