Durban – A 23-year-old man pleaded guilty in the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court to raping an 8-year-old boy, the Witness reported on Tuesday.

Siyabonga Dladla, who is deaf, was assisted by an interpreter skilled in the use of sign language during court proceedings.

Dladla admitted in a statement that on January 1 he had seen a child walking along the road and called him in sign language.

The boy resisted going with Dladla but he dragged him to a toilet and raped him.

A state psychologist found the child to be psychologically and emotionally traumatised. He now fears being in the company of older boys.

Dladla will be sentenced on Friday. 

SAPA