MP teen faces perjury charge after false rape report
A 16-year-old girl who reported that she was raped while hitchhiking in Mpumalanga earlier this week has now been charged with perjury after it emerged that she misled police.
It was earlier reported that the girl said she was hitchhiking from Dullstroom to Lydenburg when two English-speaking men offered her a lift.
“She claimed that after passing Coromandel, the driver diverted into a secluded area, where she was rendered unconscious by a cloth with a chemical smell. Upon regaining consciousness, she claimed the passenger was raping her and later offered her money, which she refused, “said police spokesperson Thulisile Magagula.
According to Magagula, the teenager claimed that after passing Coromandel, the driver diverted into a secluded area, where she was rendered unconscious by a cloth with a chemical smell.
“The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit immediately launched an investigation into the case, which had attracted significant public attention. However, during the course of their investigation, it was established that no rape had occurred. The girl eventually confessed that she had visited a male friend and, fearing her parents’ reaction, chose to lie about being raped,” Magagula added.
The acting provincial police commissioner, Zeph Mkhwanazi, condemned the incident, describing it as an insult to victims of gender-based violence.
"The crime statistics for the last quarter of 2024/2025 indicate an increase in sexual offences. It is therefore extremely concerning and disheartening when people abuse the system by reporting fake cases. These actions waste police resources and undermine the efforts to fight gender-based violence, which we treat as a top priority. "
Mkhwanazi warned officers not to hesitate to charge anyone who made false reports to police.
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