Uncle arrested for rape of girl, 8
Teachers alerted authorities to the crime
QUICK-thinking actions of teachers of an 8-yearold girl helped land a 61-year-old man behind bars for rape.
The rapes had allegedly been going on since December, but only came to light when teachers at Sizuzile Primary School noticed the child’s overtly sexual behaviour and notified authorities two weeks ago.
The little girl’s 61-year-old uncle was later arrested and charged with rape.
He appeared in court on Tuesday. The enraged community of Tsakane in Ekurhuleni picketed outside court to support the family and also to argue that he be refused bail.
“We are sick and tired of old men who are raping our children.
“I would also add that as women, we should be careful who we leave our children with,” said Ntombi Nxumalo, who came to support the family.
Allegations are that teachers noticed that there was something wrong with the child when she started exhibiting inappropriate, sexual behaviour while playing with other children.
She was apparently touching the genitalia of boys, who reported the incidents to their teachers.
When the teachers questioned the child and asked her why she was behaving like this and where she had seen that behaviour, she allegedly told them that it was happening to her at home.
The child was taken to hospital for an examination where it was discovered that she had been abused.
The old man was then arrested and charged with rape.
The girl’s 30-year-old sister said the little girl had been staying with the suspect and his wife, who is the child’s aunt, at their Tsakane home.
Their mother works as a domestic worker in Joburg and only sees the child at the end of every month.
“We are very shocked and angry because we trusted him. He deserves the death sentence. My mother’s sister has also turned her back on us because she does not want to believe her husband did it,” the sister said.
The man’s wife was arrested yesterday and, while it is not clear what she was arrested for, it is believed to be linked to the rape of her niece.
The case was postponed to August 1 for DNA results and further investigation. – Health-e News.