Dog-raped girl gets trust fund

2003-04-24 19:48

Johannesburg - A trust fund has been set up to assist a Gauteng girl who was allegedly forced to have sex with a dog by her employers recently, provincial social services MEC Angie Motshekga said on Wednesday.

She told reporters during a visit to Norman House place of safety in Johannesburg the "Never Again Trust" would assist the girl, 15, to get access to education, health and other services.

"It is our desire to shape this child so that she can be a strong person in future," Motshekga said.

Two Taiwanese nationals, brother and sister Ken and Cheri Wang, were arrested on April 8 for allegedly beating up the girl, who was their domestic worker, shooting at her and then forcing her to have sexual intercourse with a dog.

This was allegedly done as punishment because the girl, who worked at the family's plot in Pomona Road, Kempton Park, reportedly did not do her cleaning work properly.

The siblings, aged 24 and 26, were out on R20 000 bail each and would appear in the Kempton Park magistrate's court on June 30.

Motshekga, accompanied by prominent kwaito artist Mdu Masilela, made the announcement about the trust after she had a brief interview with the girl, now attending a grade seven class at the place of safety.

The MEC also spoke to a social worker who was counselling the teenager.

The girl's face was covered with a jersey during the interview and photographers were not allowed to take pictures of her or other children residing at Norman House.

Speaking in Zulu, the girl told Motshekga she was well attended and cared for at the institution, and was recovering well.

"I have a runny stomach at the moment but I will go to hospital on Friday morning to have it checked," said the weeping teenager.

An emotional Motshekga promised to visit the girl occasionally until she was discharged from Norman House.

"I happen to live nearby the institution so I will make time now and then to see how she is doing," she said.

Mahlodi Morifi, the social worker, said the girl was "highly traumatised".

She said the teenager was living with her elder sisters, aged 20 and 23, somewhere in the Ekurhuleni metropole before the incident happen.

The girls' mother died early this year and they do not know the whereabouts of their father.

Motshekga said the trust fund would be administered by her department and Morifi would deal with the court case when it resumes.

"This is to ensure the case does not traumatise the teenaged girl further and disrupt her recovery plan."

Motshekga concluded the visit by announcing that a private firm would donate groceries to the girl and her family.

- SAPA