A Grahamstown man found hanged this week apologised for raping a young relative, according to a reliable source who may not be named.
A Grahamstown man found hanged this week apologised for raping a young relative, according to a reliable source who may not be named.
The source said Bonakele Khahlane, 38, had left a suicide note saying he was sorry for raping the girl, a pupil at a Grahamstown school.
Khahlane was an employee in the government's Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) responsible for cleaning the city's river beds. Supervisor at the department Thando Dlalani said Khahlane had had fellow employees' interests at heart. "If there was something that compromised workers' rights he would quickly organise a meeting to try and solve the problem".
Dlalani said municipal officials were discussing the possibility of assisting the family with funeral service because he was the main breadwinner.
Dlalani said fellow workers had reported no signs that Khahlane had been suicidal.
Grahamstown police have opened an inquest docket. Grahamstown Police spokesperson captain Mali Govender said the Joza resident had recently been released from prison, after serving a long jail sentence for rape.
At the time of committing suicide he was a suspect in the rape of a young relative. Khahlane is survived by his wife and two children.
