The MEC for Social Development in KwaZulu-Natal Mrs Weziwe Thusi has condemned the recent spate of rapes and murders directed at children and called on communities to confront this scourge head on.
This following the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl, less than 3 kilometres away from the scene of a similar incident just over a week ago. The grade 6 learner was reported missing on Valentines Day after she failed to return from visiting her uncle two days earlier. Her badly decomposed body was discovered yesterday.
MEC Thusi said, “I have no words to describe how I feel at the moment. As parents we must take these incidents as a direct attach on us and we must fight back. It must not be enough to know that a child has left a particular point, we must check if they have reached their destination at the expected time. That way we will know sooner if something is wrong. This little girl was reported missing two days after she left her uncle’s home, giving her killer a two day head start.
She added,“I visited the family of the 14-year-old girl and I cannot imagine another family going through the same pain. What is even worse is the thought of more than one monster capable of this despicable evil in such close proximity.”
MEC Thusi said, “I’d like to call on the community to work with the police to rid themselves of such evil. The only way to create safer neighbourhoods is if the community assists the police in their investigation to ensure that the culprit is put behind bars.
The MEC added, “We would like to commend the police working on these difficult cases for their hard work. In the case of the 14-year-old a suspect was arrested within days and we are hopeful they will do the same in this case.”
Social workers have already been sent to assist the family with trauma counselling.
For more information contact:
Ncumisa Fandesi
Cell: 083 447 0958
