MPUMALANGA police are searching for a 65- year-old man who allegedly raped his 13- year-old granddaughter.

MPUMALANGA police are searching for a 65- year-old man who allegedly raped his 13- year-old granddaughter.

Police said the man, who lives at Kamhlushwa near Malelane, ran away after receiving a tip-off from his friends that the girl had opened a rape case against him.

The young girl told the police that her grandfather started raping her last year when she was still 12 years old.

Tonga police spokesperson Mzwandile Nyambi said: "Last month the girl decided to run away from her home to stay with her relatives.

"Her mother came to our police station to report that she (the girl) was missing.

"Yesterday she appeared at the police station accompanied by social workers to open a case.

"When we questioned her she also claimed that her brother- in-law had also raped her when her grandfather was away," Nyambi said.

Nyambi said they were also investigating these allegations.

"I am hoping that we are going to arrest the old man very soon because the child knows him.

"He is old, I don't think he will able to run away from energetic police officers," Nyambi said.

ChildLine provincial director Benita Nel said that in most cases, children were sexually abused by family members or friends.

"We need to teach our children to know places where people are not supposed to touch them.

"According to the statistics, children are more exposed to sexual abuse than adults.

"It is so sad to see people who are supposed to protect the children turning against them(children)," Nel said.