15-year-old rape victim to be laid to rest amid calls for justice

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A 15-year-old girl who was raped and strangled to death in Soshanguve north of Pretoria will be buried in Limpopo today.

Dipolelo Mogale, a grade seven pupil at the Echibini Junior Secondary School, died after a man took her from her home and attacked her last Sunday. It’s believed the suspect had gained access to the home through a window where she was abducted from.

The deceased’s stepfather, Mosses Malatji is struggling to come to terms with the loss.

“As a father and all of us we are very sad with what has happened to my child. I can’t take it as a father, I have failed to protect the child. Though I did not notice everything that has happened to her. So it is very painful. It hurts a lot.”

The Gauteng Education Department has called on police to speedily find the suspect.

The department’s spokesperson Steve Mabona, “Education MEC Matome Chiloane is deeply saddened to have learned about a gruesome incident. He’s devasted at the occurrence. He’s urged the police to arrest the perpetrator. He also wishes to extend our deepest condolences to the learner’s family and school community at large.”