Outrage over ‘rape’ of girl, 9
“WHAT has become of our society?”
That’s what worried community leaders are wondering as a Chatsworth dad stands accused of raping his 9-yearold daughter over two years.
As news of the alleged incident and the arrest of the 54-year-old man from Havenside spread, community members rose in anger, with the horrific abuse and death of toddler Jamie Faith Naidoo – allegedly at the hands of her mother and granny – still fresh in their minds.
“This case comes so soon after the Baby Jamie case and that has not even been finalised,” Brandon Pillay, a community leader and former ANC ward councillor, told POST shortly after the man appeared in court on Monday.
He said it seemed as if nothing had been learnt from the Jamie case.
“Where are the child welfare organisations and the authorities? This should have never gone this far,” Pillay said.
As the accused left for the holding cell at the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court after the matter was adjourned for a formal bail application, angry residents who packed the courtroom began hurling insults at him, calling him “rubbish”.
The man, dressed in a T-shirt, unshaven and with his hair in a low ponytail, cannot be named to protect the identity of his daughter.
He was arrested late last week after the child, who is now living with a relative, complained to a teacher.
According to a source, the child had confided in the teacher after being questioned about being absent from school.
“She initially told the teacher that she was required to care for her baby brother and when questioned on another occasion, she said she was being abused by her father.”
The source said the mother of the child has been “deadly silent” on the matter and had not given the police any statement.
Pillay said he was told the child was living with a relative and refused to go back to her biological mother.
“The mother allegedly claims that the child is lying.,” he said.
Holding a placard stating “Rot in Jail”, Chatsworth granny Sally Chetty said the alleged incident saddened her.
“The child has been ruined for life. I think the welfare should take serious action – we don’t want to see another case of this nature.”
DA ward councillor Ganas Govender, who was at court, condemned the incident. “Our fear is for our future children and we are here in the interest of our children. We are also calling on every member of society to stand up against such acts of violence and adopt the notion that ‘your child is my child’.”
Jackie Branfield, founder and adviser of children’s rights organisation Bobbi Bear, said children who spoke up about abuse should be hailed as heroes.
She said children were seldom raped by strangers.
“Even if it is a gang rape, the child always knows someone. It can be the pastor, teacher, stepfather, father, grandfather, uncle, someone who has authority over child,” Branfield said.
She said in the case of the 9-year-old girl, the child was probably in a conflicted situation because children are taught to love and respect their fathers.
“The child is supposed to love her father and was trained to listen to him. She has been told he knows what’s best for her. So she must be hailed as a hero.”
The case has been adjourned until next week for a formal bail application.
In December 2015, a Verulam father who raped and impregnated his daughter was sentenced to life imprisonment. The 40-year-old man said he had become “aroused” by his 16-year-old daughter who was massaging him when he raped her on New Year’s Eve in 2014.
When she realised three months later that she was pregnant, she had an abortion.
That same month, an HIV-positive KwaZulu-Natal man who admitted raping his teenage daughter several times out of “sheer lust”, was sentenced to an effective 20 years in prison.
The 44-year-old man pleaded guilty in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court to two counts of rape.
Magistrate Jenny Pillay jailed the man for 15 years on each count, but suspended 10 years of the total sentence.