LANDLORDS have been advised to keep copies of their tenants' identity documents, after a girl was raped by a tenant in Ikageng, Potchefstroom in the North West.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said yesterday the 6-year-old girl was raped last week Tuesday by a 26-year-old man who was renting a back room from the girl's mother.

The man called her to his room to fetch sweets and then raped her.

Mokgwabone said the mother was at work at the time. He said the police had similar cases opened and landlords were not able to provide their tenants' personal information.

"Luckily in this case, we were able to arrest the man on the same day because he was not aware that a case had been opened against him," he said.

All landlords renting out any space, be it flats or back rooms and garages in their yards, were advised to keep copies of an ID document or passport, or a copy of an asylum document. - Sapa