4-year-old brutally killed during child protection week
"Community members must play their part by assisting the police with information to catch whoever did this gruesome act."
Gauteng community safety MEC Faith Mazibuko has condemned the killing of a four-year-old boy who was stabbed more than 14 times and left for dead in Bronkhorstspruit a week ago.
On the week that was meant to commemorate the protection of children, Bandile Skosana’s body was found under a big rock at a veld in Rethabiseng.
“It can only be a monster that can stab a toddler 14 times and our society has no place for monsters,” said spokesperson for the MEC Pinkie Numa.
“Criminals have nowhere to hide in Gauteng, we will catch whoever did this and they will face the full might of the law. Community members must play their part by assisting the police with information to catch whoever did this gruesome act.”
Bandile went missing on Saturday, and was last seen near his father’s home.
His father, Sipho Skosana, said the boy, who lived with his mother in Daveyton, had come to stay with them during the lockdown period.
READ MORE: 4-year-old East boy brutally murdered
“On Saturday afternoon, we searched for him everywhere but could not find him,” he said.
“We then went to open a missing person’s case report and notified members of the community to help us look for him.”
The next day, a 14-year-old boy, who was said to have been hunting at a veld in another section, reported seeing a body matching Bandile’s description.
Skosana and some friends went to search the area and found Bandile’s body under a rock.
“We were told by the forensic investigators that he was stabbed 14 to 15 times in the chest,” he said.
“We have so many unanswered questions. All I want to know is what happened to my son.”
Police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele said police received information about a child’s body at 17:00 on Sunday.
“We are still investigating and no arrests have been made.”
On Monday, the country marked national child protection week, which is commemorated annually to raise awareness of the rights of children.
The week is meant to campaign against the abuse and exploitation of children.
READ MORE: About 1 430 suspects arrested for crimes ranging from murder, rape and hijacking
This year’s child protection week is held from 31 May to 7 June, under the theme “Let us all protect children during Covid-19 and beyond”.
Mazibuko called on members of the community to help protect children and report any crimes committed against them.
Numa said the MEC’s office had engaged the department of social development to assist the family with counselling and other basket of services they offer in cases like this.
“The police are investigating the case and a possible witness is being interviewed,” she said.
Bandile’s murder follows those of several other children.
In 2018, nine-year-old autistic Katlego Joja’s lifeless body was found floating in the Moretele river in Mamelodi.
Two years before that, 17-year-old Anika Smit was found raped and killed with her hands cut off at her father’s Theresa Park home.
In 2014, the decomposed body of Zinhle Ndala was found in a storm-water drain in Mamelodi.
In 2015, 19-year-old Reneilwe Selaodi’s naked body was found with her legs cut off in Mothutlung, near Brits.
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