‘We feel their pain,’ say angry PE College students

A large group of irate PE College students gathered outside the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Monday to show their support for two of their peers who were allegedly raped in an abandoned building last week.  

Those who filled the public gallery hurled insults at a 26-year-old double rape accused as he made his first appearance in court after his arrest on Thursday.

The man is accused of raping two students, aged 20 and 22, who had been walking in Govan Mbeki Avenue after accompanying a friend to the taxi terminus.

He is not being named as he has yet to plead to the charges.

The young women’s identities have been withheld because they are victims of rape.

As police were busy with the investigation on Thursday, one of the women had spotted the suspect  crossing the street in Central and he was then arrested.

Last week, The Herald reported he had allegedly shoved the two students into an abandoned building, raping them  among the rubble and overgrown grass in full view of an accomplice.

One of the women said she would never forget the “stench of the rapist”.

Members of Phila Ndoda, an all-male society, were also present at court on Monday.

The organisation’s founder, Zolile Dayimani, said they had come to show their support to the two women.

“We are here to say that gender-based violence is unacceptable and children must be free to go to school.

“We want to mobilise more men to speak against gender-based violence,” Dayimani said.

“We would like that man to be kept behind bars because he is [allegedly] a danger to society.”

The group of about 100 students who protested outside throughout proceedings vowed they would continue protesting throughout the trial.

One of the students, Siphosethu Camagu, said: “What hurts the most is that the victims are not from Port Elizabeth.

“That [the attacks] is enough to make one quit school.

“I’m here to give them strength and say that we feel their pain.”

The bail application will be heard on March 16.