A 35-year-old KwaMashu man is expected to appear in court today, charged with raping three children aged between six and nine.
|||Durban - A 35-year-old KwaMashu man was expected to appear in court today, charged with raping three children aged between six and nine.
Police spokesman, Captain Thulani Zwane, said the man had initially been arrested on Tuesday on one count, but two more victims had later come forward.
“The man is expected to appear in the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court tomorrow (Thursday),” he said.
The Daily News went to KwaMashu L section, where the man and his alleged victims live.
The mother of one of the children, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the seven-year-old, said she had quit her job to look after her traumatised child.
“After the man was arrested, she then told me that she had also been abused by him, but she said it had happened once.
“I then went to see her teacher at school, and she told me my daughter did appear disturbed and distant,” she said.
The mother said her child’s teacher had said her daughter had not been doing her work at school and wasn’t talking.
“At home you can see that she is not fine, but she does go and play with other children,” the mother said.
Asked what her expectations were of the trial, she said she had not thought that far ahead as she was still in shock at what had happened to her daughter.
“Right now all I’m worried about is her (the child) and how she is coping with all this; I haven’t thought about him (the arrested man),” she said.
The mother said she knew the suspect who had been arrested, and he had lived in the area for many years.
Reporters went to the home of another alleged victim, but no one was at home.
A relative, who was pointed out by a neighbour, refused to speak to the Daily News.
The councillor for the area, Skhumbuzo Ngcobo, said he had not heard of the rapes and arrest.
“It’s difficult to say whether cases of this nature in the community were prevalent because people don’t talk, and some don’t even get reported.
“I am shocked to hear that such a terrible thing has happened in the community,” said Ngcobo.
Daily News