South African Police Services (SAPS) spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele has confirmed the arrest of an Malawian national aged 23 on allegations that he raped and kidnapped a street vendor in Rosettenville, north of Johannesburg.

In an interview with Daily Sun, Mbele said, the suspect lured the vendor to a field near Wemmer Pan in the area after promising her a job.

Captain Mbele continued that the victim aged 34 and her 16-year-old daughter were selling peanuts along Rosettenville Road in Joburg on Monday, 11 April, when the suspect approached them and told them that cleaners were being hired where he worked.

The two followed the Malawian man until they reached the bushes.

“The victim’s daughter became suspicious and wanted to go back.

“The man grabbed them by their clothes, but the daughter managed to escape. The mother was allegedly threatened and raped in the bushes,” said Mbele.

Luckily, the daughter met a police van as she was running out of the bushes and informed them of the incident.

The daughter led the Police to the direction where the incident took place and the police found the woman screaming and rescued her.

“The suspect was found on his phone speaking to the husband of the victim demanding R1 000 (about K700,000) if he still wanted to see his wife,” said Mbele.

The suspect will appear in court in Johannesburg magistrate court to answer rape and kidnapping charges.