Chatsworth, and probably the nation, was horrified at the rape and murder of three-year-old Jamie Faith Naidoo. Readers have their say.
GESHY SINGH Baby Jamie’s tragedy shook the nation. We are all angry and perhaps in shock, but the vile responses by the community in the various social media are appalling. Let us not lower ourselves to gutter trash. Apparently her mother was the lady who was begging near the Gateway turn-off in a blue wind breaker and jeans. We always gave her food and I recall pondering over this woman who looked so bewildered and desensitised by life, and broken. I read on another page those R699pm advertising cars would pick her up, and others, every night and drop them off, in the morning. Claims were it’s those syndicates that provide them with drugs and shelter but they forced them to bring in money and can’t leave the system. We can blame the various religious groups, but the fact is, no one did enough. The social workers and police have failed her. Whoever abused and raped this baby was probably abused and raped and tortured themselves. Drugged, damaged and dehumanised. That doesn’t make it right, but we can’t ignore the perpetual cycle of poverty, abuse, rape and drugs in certain communities and areas. I, for one, feel the death penalty or proper punishment like “lashes with saltwater dipped canes” like they do in Singapore will change crime and violence in South Africa. There is no fear of consequences and people commit crimes because they can. I truly pray with a broken yet hopeful heart that Baby Jamie’s tragedy brings a change in the government’s view on their punishment policies and legislation and that this baby did not suffer and die in vain. Enough is enough. If this doesn’t bring about change, nothing will. SHABNAM SAYED What surprises me is that Child Welfare is demonstrating against child abuse, but when someone called them to complain about Jamie being abused why didn’t they do their jobs?
Maybe this little girl would have been saved and still be alive. If they claim that social workers visited the toddler’s home and that everything looked fine, I think that Child Welfare and the so called “doctor” who claims this, should be investigated.
It’s quite clear that a state pathologist did in fact examine little Jamie’s body and found numerous scars.
Chatsworth Child Welfare needs to do its job properly or fire those responsible and get new staff who are willing to take cases like Jamie’s far more seriously.