Cape Town – As Child Protection Week is observed across the country, a school janitor is expected to appear in court for the rape of an 11-year-old pupil.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, was charged after the girl’s mother reported the crime to police this week.
The girl has been unable to talk much about her ordeal but her mother said she was raped more than once.
It was the grandmother who discovered what had happened, and at the weekend brought it to the mother’s attention, who immediately went to report it to the police.
“We live in (one area), and my daughter goes to school in (another area). She stays with my mother during the week. After I was told, we immediately went to the police station and then we went to the hospital,” the mother said.
A doctor examined her daughter and confirmed she had been sexually assaulted as she showed physical signs of abuse, the mother said.
“The police came to me and we went to the school where they arrested the man that did this to my child. She seems fine now, but I don’t know for sure,” said the mother.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk confirmed the case.
Since she laid the charge, her daughter has not received any counselling, the mother said. The school principal refused to speak to the Cape Times on Tuesday.
Provincial education department spokesperson Millicent Merton said the department viewed the allegations as serious.
“The school and the department are dealing with the alleged incident in line with our Abuse no More policy, which provides guidelines on how to deal with abuse of any kind, in line with legislation.”
The policy was adopted to assist pupils who were victims or perpetrators of child abuse, deliberate neglect or any sexual offences; and to prescribe an approach for teachers and employees to identify, intervene, report, and provide support in cases of child abuse.
A concerned resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said she was angered that a person the school trusted was accused of such a crime.
The woman also has children at the school, and said she was tired of living in fear that predators would take advantage of them.
“This must be brought to an end – it’s like they are operating in a syndicate. All of these rapes and murders drive a person mad. We are angry, this needs to stop,” the resident said.
This incident falls within National Child Protection Week, which is aimed at raising awareness of children’s rights.
On Wednesday MEC for Social Development Albert Fritz is expected to host the department’s Child Protection Week dialogue under the theme, “Child Protection is Everyone’s Business”.
It honours the memory of murdered children.
Rene-Tracy Roman and Stacha Arendse’s parents will join Fritz in a moment of silence and a candle-lighting ceremony.
Rene-Tracy, 13, was murdered in Lavender Hill in March.
Her half-naked and decomposed body, which was bound at the hands and feet, was found wrapped in a carpet in a neighbour’s shed last month. The teenager had been missing for 12 days.
Andrew Plaatjies, 50, has been charged with her murder and attempted rape.
Eleven-year-old Stacha was also murdered in March, and Randy Tango, 32, has been charged with her murder.