The mother of a 12-year-old girl says her daughter’s life has been ruined after she had been repeatedly raped, allegedly by two neighbours, who are now in custody, and a third suspect who is currently on the run.
The rape left the 12-year-old pregnant, leading her into early puberty. The child’s ordeal was only discovered after the family found out that she was two months pregnant.
The mother of three, living in Pampierstad in the Northern Cape, told the story of how her daughter was stalked, sexually groomed and eventually preyed on by three men old enough to be her grandfathers.
One of those men lives a stone’s throw away from the child’s home and according to her mother, is the alleged perpetrator in chief. Over the course of about a year, the man would follow the child to school and instruct her to go to his home after school, where he raped her.
“They have ruined her life completely. I want them to feel the same pain that I am going through as the mother of this child. He would go to her school and tell her not to go to where she was meant to go after school. He would tell her to come to his home.”
The child’s aunt is the one who noticed something wrong with the child and had her confess what she was going through. She described an incident – as told by the child – where the man and his friends fought over whose turn it was to rape her. The aunt says the man had tried the same thing with her before.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Mohale Ramatseba says resources have been ploughed into solving the case.
“As the SA police service we want to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book speedily, that we are mobilising all the resources, human and physical in ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to book.”
A 61-year-old and a 50-year-old man have subsequently been arrested. They are expected to appear in court soon. The third suspect is still on the run.
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