Boys allegedly ‘raped’ three girls on school grounds
Three primary school girls say they are terrified to go back to school because teenage boys who allegedly abused them are still attending classes.
Two 15-year-old boys from the Pretoria school allegedly tied the arms of the three girls and raped them on the school grounds a month ago.
The matter came to light after a parent of one of the girls noticed a change in her 7-year-old daughter’s behaviour. The other two girls are both eight years old.
The shocked mother said she approached the school principal and was told “to leave the matter” to him.
“I was surprised when a week went by without any call from the principal and my child was still scared to go to school,” she said.
The father of another victim also allegedly did not receive feedback from the principal. He then checked with the Boschkop police station, where he was told no case of rape had been reported to them, The Citizen has heard.
The father said he reported the case recently after not hearing from the principal for weeks.
The Boschkop police station’s child protection unit took two of the three girls for a medical examination last Tuesday whereupon the doctor confirmed the children had been raped, This was made public yesterday by Gauteng MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi, when he visited the families of the victims.
Lesufi said he would have to wait for a forensic investigation to be completed before making a decision on the alleged negligence of the principal.
“I have however appointed an independent forensic investigation team that would take 21 days to give me feedback,” said Lesufi.
The MEC condemned the incident and assured the parents that action would be taken as soon as the investigation was concluded.
“I’m very saddened,” he said.