Mother seeks answers in daughter’s rape case
The four-year-old's mother said it broke her heart that her child getting justice depended on her being able to talk to a social worker.
As calls intensify for justice for seven-year-old rape victim, Cwecwe, a learner at Bergview College in Eastern Cape, a mother whose child was allegedly raped in a crèche in Izingolweni said she is still seeking justice for her four-year-old.
The disgruntled mother said she is unhappy with the pace of the investigation.
In February, the four-year-old’s grandmother found blood-stained underwear while undressing her after crèche.
The grandmother believed that the child was raped.
She said what she saw when she took off the little girl’s underwear traumatised her for life.
After the incident, members of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party protested outside the crèche, and they were later accused of intimidation.
Port Shepstone police previously said the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit had opened an enquiry after it was alleged that a four-year-old child had been raped in Ezinqoleni on February 3.
“The child will be referred to a forensic social worker. No one has been arrested,” said the police.
The four-year-old’s mother said she had to enquire several times with the police before they were asked to take the child to a forensic social worker in Pietermaritzburg.
“I was unhappy because the social worker said they are struggling to get her to talk. It breaks my heart that my child getting justice is dependent on her talking. What is she going to say that will lead to an arrest? I have lost faith in the police and their investigation. I honestly don’t know who to cry to or how to get the whole country to march on my baby’s behalf so that her case can get the necessary attention as well,” she said.
Further comment from the police on the investigation was not received at the time of going to press.
Meanwhile, Ward 32 councillor Ntombifuthi Gcaba urged the crèche to give useful information to the police that could lead to arrests.
“We are disheartened about this incident. What is scary is that the perpetrator could be watching us now from a distance because I believe that this rapist is among us in this community. We are here to condemn such incidents. Should the person be found, we hope the law will play its part and sentence them to life. We call on Ward 32 residents to stand up and assist the police in catching this criminal,” she said.
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