A 92-year-old woman and her 11-year-old granddaughter were raped in the Jozini area, north of KZN on Wednesday night.

It is alleged that the rapists stormed into the family homestead at night, threatened them and allegedly raped the grandmother and granddaughter.

In a statement yesterday, KZN Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza said the heinous act is an appalling violation of their fundamental rights and a ‘grave affront to the dignity and safety of all citizens’.

“We are extremely shocked by the persistent abuse of older persons and children in our communities. It is a shame that we have a lot of people with decayed morality. We have people who are unable to recognise the good from the bad and continue to violate their rights,” she said.

She called for the urgent need for law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough and quick investigation to identify and apprehend those responsible for the crimes.

“We implore the criminal justice system to treat this matter with utmost seriousness and diligence, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We also call upon communities, civil society, organisations and individuals to stand together in solidarity against all forms of gender-based violence, particularly crimes as abhorrent as rape. We must work collectively to create safe environments that protect the most vulnerable members of our society and prevent such heinous acts from occurring,” she said.

Khoza reaffirmed the department’s commitment to strengthening and implementing comprehensive strategies to combat gender-based violence and ensure the safety and well-being of all citizens.

“This includes ongoing collaboration with relevant stakeholders, community engagement initiatives and the provision of accessible support services to survivors. We call upon all sectors of society to join forces in eradicating gender-based violence and creating a society where every individual can live with dignity, respect and without fear.”

She said government is providing the family with the necessary medical care, psychosocial support and legal aid to help in their recovery and pursuit of justice. A team of social workers has been dispatched to visit the family.