Barefoot run to honour memory of raped, murdered girl
A horrific ordeal in which a nine-year-old girl was raped and stabbed to death has inspired her cousin to run part of the Comrades Marathon barefoot to raise awareness against sexual abuse.
Sabie Mashigo, 40, started the #Run4her campaign after two of her cousins, aged nine and 13, were raped and stabbed repeatedly, allegedly by a neighbour, on March 20.
Mashigo said a suspect had been arrested after he was found at the scene in Sebokeng.
“My 13-year-old cousin has scars all over her hands and head from the time she was trying to block him,” she said.
Mashigo said she would be running the marathon in memory of her cousin Rethabile, nine, who died at the scene, and to raise funds for a rape crisis centre in Kimberley.
She will run the last 5km of the Comrades Marathon barefoot next month. “This is my way of honouring my late cousin’s memory and supporting the surviving one.”
Mashigo said running barefoot was a painful experience, which was symbolic of the pain suffered by victims of rape and sexual abuse. “I will probably be bleeding by the time I reach the finish line, but for survivors of rape, the blisters and pain never go away,” she said.
Mashigo said her cousins’ tragedies had triggered traumatic memories because she had also been raped 20 years ago.
“It sank in that while my life had been spared, my cousin and many other victims of sexual violence couldn’t run for their lives or save themselves from the monsters who violated them,” she said.
Mashigo said she had partnered with the founder of The Barefoot Campaign, who had seen her story on social media. “We decided to partner up and raise funds to renovate a rape crisis centre in Kimberley.”
Mashigo said this was important, adding that people should empower children with information and encourage them to speak out if and when they are violated.
“We need to believe our children when they tell us that they are not comfortable.
“This will help in making sure that more cases are reported.” Mashigo said.