DA to help rape victim, 5, get counselling

2012-06-19 15:49

Desiree van der Walt (DA)

Johannesburg - The DA in Limpopo will help a 5-year-old girl and her family to get psychological counselling after she was raped three times, it said on Tuesday.

"At her age, this child should be receiving love and nurturing from her family and community instead of being made a victim to the most heinous crime possible against a living human being," Democratic Alliance MPL Desiree van der Walt said after visiting the child on Monday.

A man appeared in the Mankweng Magistrate's Court on Friday for allegedly raping the girl in Mmamatsha village, Ga-Molepo, on Wednesday

The case was postponed until July 20. The man remains in custody.

The girl was also apparently raped in December 2010, but the case was provisionally withdrawn pending DNA results and a social worker's report.

She was raped again in May this year. A 28-year-old man was arrested in connection with this incident and is to appear in court on June 26.

Van der Walt said the DA would correspond directly with Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa about why it was taking such a long time to release the DNA results.

DA members would picket outside the court each time the girl's alleged rapists appeared, she said.

On Monday, the African National Congress in Limpopo described the case as troubling and "inhumane".

"We cannot continue to have these kinds of inhumane crimes being committed against children and women and any other victims of such violent, gruesome acts that strip victims of their dignity," said ANC provincial spokesperson Makonde Mathivha.

- SAPA