POLICE are hunting for a 33-year-old suspect who allegedly raped his 55-year-old mother in Matatiele’s Luphindo village

It is alleged that the suspect, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, forced his way into her bedroom and threatened her with a knife before dragging her to a neighbour’s house, where the alleged rape took place.

Matatiele police spokesman Lieutenant Raphael Motloung said after the incident, the suspect ran away, leaving his traumatised mother locked in the house.

Recounting the events, he said it is alleged that on October 14, at about 7pm the victim was asleep next to a male friend in her bedroom when the son knocked at their door.

Apparently the suspect came home hungry and shouted outside the house, telling his mother he wanted food.

“He was making a noise and his mother was worried about neighbours and went to open the door for him. Once inside the house he kept asking for food but his mother told him to cook for himself as she had already gone to bed,” said Motloung.

It is alleged that the suspect got angry and went to the bedroom, where he threatened to stab the friend and his mother with a bush knife he was carrying.

“He then pulled the blanket off them and dragged his mother to a neighbour’s house.

“It is alleged that he kept her there for the whole night and repeatedly raped her until the early hours. He then ran away.”

The victim reported the matter to the police and they conducted a search but it has yielded nothing and the suspect is still at large.

Motloung said it was worrying to see many older women being victims of crime in communities and called on people to report such cases to the police.