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Residents are angry after a toddler was raped in Lusaka Village, near Nkowankowa.
Picture: iStock
Residents of Nkowankowa and the surrounding areas in Tzaneen, Limpopo, are furious and calling on the police to work closely with locals to fight against gender-based violence and Femicide(GBVF).
Several community members who spoke to The Citizen said they were angered by a recent incident in which a toddler was raped in Lusaka Village near Nkowankowa.
Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said the suspect sneaked into the room where the baby was sleeping with her mother and took her to the house’s passage, where he raped her.
“The mother heard the child crying and found her on the ground,” said Mashaba.
He stated that the police were still searching for the suspect, and no arrest had been reported at that time.
Living in fear
Elizabeth Shingange, a community leader and founder of the Elizabeth Home Foundation, said women and children were being killed and abused in the areas around Tzaneen.
She said that between April and May, six women were murdered in different areas.
“Look, currently there is an ongoing case whereby a man is facing more than 80 rape cases. This case indicates that this man was continuing with his action without any interruption because if he was arrested for some of the cases, he would not be facing so many charges.”
“The criminals know very well that they will not be arrested because the community members don’t trust the police. Previously, we had a situation in which the police failed to protect the whistleblowers, so they are afraid to tell the police what they know.”
Shingange has urged the provincial police management to talk with the communities about how they can work together to address the problem.
Another resident who asked not to be named said, “What I can tell you is that we are not safe because criminals are not being arrested.”
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Protest
ANC Women’s League members took to the streets of Tzaneen on Friday in protest, accusing the police of failing to fight against GBVF cases that are rife in the area.
Limpopo police did not respond to claims that they were failing to address GBVF and crime in the affected areas.
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“We are here to submit a memorandum to the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Office, which is receiving on behalf of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
“This memo is presented due to the alarming increase of the scourge of Gender-Based Violence against Women and Children, which is perpetuated by men in our society.
“These men perpetuate this GBV with impunity without dire consequences, and, as women, we are looking to our justice cluster to rescue us from this barbaric behaviour.
“Our observation is that the law enforcement agencies seem to be overwhelmed in dealing with this situation,” ANCWL convenor of Norman Mashabane Region in Mopani District Municipality, Lettie Hlangwane, told The Citizen.
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