‘Raped by dad and brother’
The child has panic attacks whenever she sees the two, as they are still free and living in another neighbourhood in Mitchells Plain.
The girl’s mother and stepfather, with whom she lives, are angry and frustrated that police have not arrested her alleged rapists.
The family is aware of at least two alleged attacks that happened at the girl’s father’s house: one by her 18-year-old brother last July and the other by her 56-year-old dad in January.
The stepfather explained: “My daughter was eight years old at the time; we did not know what was happening until we took her to the Thuthuzela Centre in Heideveld in July last year.
“I started getting suspicious when my daughter started getting nightmares, but we weren’t sure. It was then during the weekend of 21 July when she came home from visiting her father.
“She came home, walking with her legs spread wide. I asked her mom and sister to take her to the room to check her out. The Monday our worst fears came true.”
The girl’s mother said her daughter started having “panic attacks”, had become aggressive, she would cry easily and was afraid to sleep alone.
“We took her to the centre and the doctor confirmed she was raped from the front and back and a nail mark was still on her bum. It was a shock,” said the mom.
“It took a while before she spoke and we only found out who did the dreadful deeds when the then police captain told us she said it was her brother.”
The Grade 3 learner, whose skin is covered in hives, goes into a trance-like state when she recalls how her father allegedly attacked her.
“I was at his house for the weekend. His wife took his son to the sports field and told me to wake him [father] if anyone knocked. I then went to my room to watch cartoons,” she explained.
“He woke up and came into my room. He pulled down my pants and started putting his fingers in my privates,” she says.
“He asked me, do you like it, I said no. He did this for half an hour.
“After that he put his privates in mine. I was shouting for help, but nobody came. He only stopped when he heard his wife is coming. “He told me if I tell anybody, he’s going to hurt me and I won’t like how he was going to hurt me. I told his wife what had happened, but she just ignored me.”
The girl’s stepfather said police have not done anything.
“The father hasn’t been arrested yet; her brother was in police custody for an hour, but he’s out,” he said.
He said the police have taken months to get statements from the brother and father and there was a problem with DNA evidence.
“We want justice for this crime, it won’t mend what is broken but she doesn’t want to see them again, she wants them to go to jail,” he said.
Police confirmed that the Family Violence and Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit is still investigating.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana says a suspect aged 18 years old has been arrested.
“No suspect has yet been arrested for the second [case]. The investigation is continuing,” she said.
