Ouma says her grandkid’s ‘rapist’ is out on the streets
22-08-2020 Grandma of the 4year-old raped by grandpa in Mitchells Plain. Story Lizell Perens. Pix Jack Lestrade
The granny of a four-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped by her husband, says justice is failing the child as the suspect is out on the street despite being arrested on a charge of rape.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana confirmed the 58-year-old man was arrested in March and was due to appear in the Mitchells Plain Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
The ouma says she was taking care of her granddaughter and her eight-year-old sibling during the day until November last year when she got a new job.
The children went to their paternal grandmother, but the oupa went there to fetch the child out of his own accord.
“I never suspected anything, because when I’d get home from work she would be fed, and her clothes would be hanging on the washing line, so I figured he was doing me a favour by helping out,” says the ouma.
They noticed that the child started biting her nails, she would flinch whenever someone came near her, and that the once chatty little girl became withdrawn.
She says her husband used to moer her and after getting an interdict against him, her granddaughter told a social worker about the rape.
“Hy het dié manier gehad - hy sluit homself toe met die kind in die kamer dan kap ek op die kamerdeur en vra, “Hoekom sluit jy vir jou op met die kind in die kamer? Sy’s klein, sy moet speel. Sy kannie heeldag in ’n kamer sit nie.”
On 19 March, a doctor confirmed the child had been raped and the suspected was arrested on a charge of rape.
But he was later let go.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila says: “The matter was not enrolled (at court) as the investigation is still continuing. Once it is finalised, the docket will be given to the SPP for a decision.”
The man has since moved in with another relative and the ouma says: “Ek is baie kwaad, want hy het het my kleinkind se hele lewe verwoes.