'Whites also rape daughters'
2008-05-29 21:12
Thabisile Khoza
Barberton - A father accused of raping his daughter for the past four years, telling her white people did the same thing to prepare their girls for marriage, has appeared briefly in court.
He was not asked to plead to charges of statutory rape when he appeared in Barberton Magistrate's Court, Mpumalanga, on Wednesday.
He was remanded until June 3 for further investigation.
The 42-year-old man who lives in the Mjindini hostel in Umjindini township was arrested on Monday after his ex-wife reported him to police.
The 17-year-old girl had called her mother for help last week, saying she had been raped since 2002.
She had never told anyone because she was afraid of her father and believed him when he said it was normal for fathers to have sex with their daughters.
Forced to have abortion
Concerned neighbours grew suspicious, however, and alerted social workers who advised the girl last week to call her mother.
Constable Jabu Ndubane of Barberton police said the girl fell pregnant the first year she was raped and was forced to have an abortion.
When she fell pregnant last year, she was allowed to keep the baby and gave birth in February.
She, her 14-year-old brother and the baby are now staying with her mother in Tongaview village.
- African Eye