An Eastern Cape mother appeared in the Scottburgh magistrate’s court on Monday for allegedly selling two 14-year-old girls to men in exchange for dowries.
The KwaZulu-Natal social development department on Tuesday said one of the men, aged 69, joined the woman in the dock.
The girls, who are cousins, were allegedly fetched from their homes in Lusikisiki village by the mother of one of them, who sold them to men to marry in Matsheketshe village in Umkomaas, south of Durban.
“The act drew consternation from members of the community after noticing the two young girls staying with older men. The department was informed by a concerned community member at the weekend, which prompted the intervention of social workers and police.
“The girls were found to have been performing duties, including washing, cooking and cleaning the houses. It is alleged the girls were also sharing bedrooms with these men.
“Police arrested the mother, who sold the children to older men, and a 69-year-old man, while the other man, aged 59, managed to escape,” the department said.
Eastern Cape mother in court for allegedly selling 14-year-old girls to elderly men
Senior reporter
Image: 123RF/Artit Oubkaew
An Eastern Cape mother appeared in the Scottburgh magistrate’s court on Monday for allegedly selling two 14-year-old girls to men in exchange for dowries.
The KwaZulu-Natal social development department on Tuesday said one of the men, aged 69, joined the woman in the dock.
The girls, who are cousins, were allegedly fetched from their homes in Lusikisiki village by the mother of one of them, who sold them to men to marry in Matsheketshe village in Umkomaas, south of Durban.
“The act drew consternation from members of the community after noticing the two young girls staying with older men. The department was informed by a concerned community member at the weekend, which prompted the intervention of social workers and police.
“The girls were found to have been performing duties, including washing, cooking and cleaning the houses. It is alleged the girls were also sharing bedrooms with these men.
“Police arrested the mother, who sold the children to older men, and a 69-year-old man, while the other man, aged 59, managed to escape,” the department said.
One of the girls said she had been raped.
The two girls were sheltered in a Youth and Child Care Centre and were receiving psychosocial support.
“The department is also working on a plan to reunite the children with their families,” the department said.
Meanwhile, the mother and 69-year-old man faced charges of abduction.
The matter was adjourned to Friday for a formal bail application.
Social development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza said it was unfortunate that a mother who was supposed to have protected children from such evil had allegedly betrayed them.
“This reflects how morals have undergone a radical decline to an extent that people could sell their children. We are baffled by this. We strongly believe that the rule of law, one of the basic tenets of our hard-fought democracy, must prevail.
“We want to see justice in this case of abuse and justice must be delivered without fear, favour or prejudice. We commend the police and social workers for their swift reaction in apprehending two suspects in this case.”
She urged law enforcement authorities to track down the suspect who escaped.
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