Dog-rape victim: Drastic action

2003-08-27 22:39

Johannesburg - The Minister of Social Development Dr Zola Skweyiya on Wednesday expressed shock and concern about the disappearance of a teenager from a government place of safety 24 days ago.

Skweyiya has called for a urgent investigation into the matter so that drastic action could be taken.

The child was reportedly forced to have sex with a dog by her employers. She ran away from the Norman House Place of Safety, but no-one told the police or the Department of Social Services.

The case hit headlines earlier this year when a 24-year-old Taiwanese man and his 26-year-old sister were charged with forcing the 15-year-old North Sotho-speaking child to have sex with a dog as punishment.

"I am very shocked and concerned about the reported disappearance of the girl from a place of safety, especially in light of the serious and traumatic nature of the experiences she have been through," Skweyiya said.

The minister said he fully supported Gauteng MEC for social services and population development Angelina Motshekga to investigate the matter urgently.

He said the safety of children, especially those most vulnerable, was indeed a matter of great concern and must be given top priority especially in institutions that were supported by the government to provide that safety.

"I therefore urge the law enforcement agencies, communities and indeed the public at large to assist in making sure that the girl is found as soon as possible and to assist with the investigation."

The girl was taken to the place of safety in April after the incident.

Captain Annemarie Potgieter of the North Rand sexual offences unit who is in charge of the case said the first the police knew about her disappearance "was when we read about it in this morning's newspapers".

Gauteng social services spokesperson Panyaza Lesufi admitted the department had known about the child's disappearance for four days before that.

The child was put into the care of the social services department following an early court hearing. She is due to testify on September 30.

If she cannot be found the Taiwanese siblings will go free.

Lesufi said her disappearance had coincidentally come to the department's attention when he informed the institution on Thursday last week that a well-wisher was taking books there for the child.

"They told me that she had run away 19 days beforehand with another child."

Gauteng social services MEC Angie Motshekga is considering closing down the place of safety and has launched an inquiry into the disappearance of the suicidal child, Lesufi said.

However, he said, that the MEC had not visited the East Rand institution, despite the fact that it was known that the girl was not the only one of the abused and neglected children housed there to have run away.

- SAPA