A Tshwane man, 40, has handed himself over to the police for allegedly raping an 11-year-old deaf girl.

The girl’s mother believes that her daughter would have been spared had she been able to speak.

According to the girl’s family, she had been playing with friends including the suspect’s daughter when the perpetrator allegedly grabbed her from the back without others noticing him.

The girl’s mother alleged that the suspect took her to his house, slapped her twice before throwing her onto his bed and raped her. The suspect’s daughter, who was looking for her friend, knocked on the door and then walked away when her father would not open.

The incident happened on November 8 and the victim kept quiet for more than a week about her ordeal until her family noticed strange behaviour. The suspect is a friend to the girl's uncle.

“I’m so hurt and disappointed about what this man did to my little girl. I hope he rots in jail and must never receive bail for abusing my girl like that. If my daughter was able to scream the tenants would've heard her but she can’t,” said the 36-year-old mother on Wednesday.

She said she learned of her daughter’s ordeal when she started to not go out to play with her friends. She’d lock herself in the bedroom and cry. She also stopped watching TV while her walk started to change.

“At first we were in disbelief but we ended up taking my daughter to the hospital and the doctor confirm that she had been raped. My whole world came crushing down on me. I’m hurt because we trusted the person who did this,” said mother.

She said her daughter attends special needs school and she couldn't lock her child indoors as she was starting to enjoy playing with other children.

Mamelodi East police spokesperson Const Lethabo Mashiloane said the suspect handed himself to the police on Monday and was charged with rape.