Groups petition court to oppose release of accused
FOUR groups joined forces to petition a court not to grant bail to a 60-year-old man accused of raping his 10-year-old niece.
The accused, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, allegedly repeatedly raped the Grade 3 pupil when she visited his own children in a village near Ngcolosi administrative area outside Tsolo.
He was arrested early last month after the victim told her mother, who had questioned her after noticing blisters on the young girl’s private parts.
The mother reported the matter to the police and the girl was referred to Mthatha for a medical examination.
The man was arrested at his home.
Members of the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco), the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and ANC Women’s League on Tuesday marched to the Tsolo Magistrate’s Court to hand over a joint petition for bail to be opposed.
In the petition, the ruling party’s allies said they would take the matter to another level if the suspect was released on bail. It did not specify what was meant by “another level”.
The accused made his first court appearance earlier this week when the matter was postponed to September 3 to allow the accused time to access legal aid. He remains in custody pending his next court appearance.
“We have resolved that this old man must not get bail until the court found him guilty,” reads the petition in part.
“We are not happy at all about this sexual victimisation of young children and women. We are more than ready to take this matter to another level.”
The document was signed by Sanco regional chairman Thembelani Guga, Sadtu district chairman Khayalethu Mbete, Cosatu chairman Lungisa Dipa and ANC Women’s League chairwoman Zingisa Ntshiba.
Sadtu’s gender convener Nonkanyiso Mapatwana, whose job includes awareness campaigns on sexual rights in various schools, said they visited the school with nurses and police soon after the alleged incident was brought to the attention of teachers.
Sadtu strongly condemned sexual violence against women and children.
“As an organisation we condemn the rape of children in the strongest terms. The abuse affects the mental wellbeing of pupils ... An abused learner cannot pay proper attention to the teacher because they are haunted by the acts of abuse,” she said. — loyisom@dispatch.co.za
Call to deny bail in child rape case
FOUR groups joined forces to petition a court not to grant bail to a 60-year-old man accused of raping his 10-year-old niece.
The accused, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, allegedly repeatedly raped the Grade 3 pupil when she visited his own children in a village near Ngcolosi administrative area outside Tsolo.
He was arrested early last month after the victim told her mother, who had questioned her after noticing blisters on the young girl’s private parts.
The mother reported the matter to the police and the girl was referred to Mthatha for a medical examination.
The man was arrested at his home.
Members of the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco), the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and ANC Women’s League on Tuesday marched to the Tsolo Magistrate’s Court to hand over a joint petition for bail to be opposed.
In the petition, the ruling party’s allies said they would take the matter to another level if the suspect was released on bail. It did not specify what was meant by “another level”.
The accused made his first court appearance earlier this week when the matter was postponed to September 3 to allow the accused time to access legal aid. He remains in custody pending his next court appearance.
“We have resolved that this old man must not get bail until the court found him guilty,” reads the petition in part.
“We are not happy at all about this sexual victimisation of young children and women. We are more than ready to take this matter to another level.”
The document was signed by Sanco regional chairman Thembelani Guga, Sadtu district chairman Khayalethu Mbete, Cosatu chairman Lungisa Dipa and ANC Women’s League chairwoman Zingisa Ntshiba.
Sadtu’s gender convener Nonkanyiso Mapatwana, whose job includes awareness campaigns on sexual rights in various schools, said they visited the school with nurses and police soon after the alleged incident was brought to the attention of teachers.
Sadtu strongly condemned sexual violence against women and children.
“As an organisation we condemn the rape of children in the strongest terms. The abuse affects the mental wellbeing of pupils ... An abused learner cannot pay proper attention to the teacher because they are haunted by the acts of abuse,” she said. — loyisom@dispatch.co.za
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