Cape Town – The five-year-old girl who was allegedly raped on Sunday, led police to her 49-year-old alleged rapist, the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) said in a statement.

The girl showed incredible courage by “breaking the silence” on her alleged rape, Sanco spokesperson Jabu Mahlangu said in a statement on Monday.

“Breaking the silence disarms the perpetrator and shatters the mask behind which he is a threatening beast to be exposed as a coward and a weakling that threatens the most vulnerable in our society.”

The girl was raped near Kapteinsklip Station in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain, Western Cape police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana told News24.

The 49-year-old suspect is expected to appear in the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s court “once charged”, Rwexana said.

The man was allegedly well acquainted with the victim.

In a statement on Monday, the Mitchells Plain Crisis Forum strongly condemned the incident.

“The fact that the victim is so young speaks of the absolute disregard and lack of humanity,” chairperson Joanie Fredericks said.

“The fact that he knows the child and her family paint a disturbing picture of how calculated these perpetrators are.”