Brother, 18, accused of raping disabled brother, 10, in Limpopo

In a betrayal of a brother’s duty to protect his vulnerable sibling, an 18-year-old teenager appeared in court in Limpopo, accused of raping his disabled 10-year-old brother. The Ga-Kopa village community in Tafelkop is in shock at a heartbreaking case of the sexual assault of a disabled boy. Limpopo MEC for social development Florence Radzilani said she was relieved that the suspect was arrested.

However, this case filled her with sadness, hurt and anger. “It is a tragic betrayal of the sacred duty of a brother to protect and care for his vulnerable sibling, especially one living with disabilities,” Radzilani said. “It is deeply unsettling that someone who should have been a protector has become the perpetrator of such a despicable act.” The 18-year-old appeared in the Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

The court remanded him in custody until 18 March 2026 for a formal bail application. According to the Limpopo police, the incident happened on Thursday, 26 February 2026. The brothers’ mother was attending a funeral at the time.

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“The matter surfaced when the mother noticed the child in pain during bathing. He disclosed two days later that his elder brother had raped him,” the South African Police Service (Saps) said. The family reported the matter at the Motetema police station on Monday.

The case was then transferred to the Groblersdal Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit. The police arrested the older brother on the same day. Limpopo provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe condemned the incident, saying this crime was particularly shocking.

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