A woman holding a placard written “Stop killing us” during a march against GBV.
Limpopo Social Development MEC, Nkakareng Rakgoale, says the court should not grant bail to a 28-year-old suspect who allegedly raped and strangled to death a six-year-old girl at Praktiseer township outside Burgersfort.
Boikgathatso Komape was allegedly lured into the suspect’s house where she was allegedly raped before being strangled on Friday.
The victim’s body was apparently found under a tree and covered with a T-shirt.
The matter was then reported to the police and the suspect was arrested.
Department spokesperson Witness Tiva says, “Social workers are currently providing psycho-social support to the family of the victim and other affected parties to ensure that they cope well after this incident.”
“MEC Nkakareng Rakgoale has described this incident as unfortunate as it happens at the time when we are still commemorating 16 Days of Activism of No Violence Against Women and Children. As the department, we are also calling for the court not to grant bail to the suspect,” says Tiva.
Earlier, Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale said the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide is a 365 days a year strategy.
Mathale was answering questions during a Peace and Security Cluster oral reply session in the National Assembly.
Positive masculinity
Meanwhile, non-profit organisation Women and Men Against Child Abuse says introducing children to positive masculinity from an early age is crucial in the fight against child abuse.
The Children’s Institute at the University of Cape Town estimates that 26% of adolescents have experienced some form of sexual abuse.
Spokesperson for Women and Men Against Child Abuse, Ngaa Murombedzi says, “Children shouldn’t be punished because the parents are no longer together, especially because the father is in a position to contribute positively.”
“So we want our society to also start addressing fathers, addressing male role models, male figures in the children’s lives so that this becomes a holistic conversation around how do we as society, men and women curb the scourge of child abuse,” Murombedzi adds.
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