The family of the seven-year-old girl, allegedly raped by a 34-year-old Ethiopian man in his tuckshop, can now have a sense of relief as the accused has been denied bail and sent back to the cells.
The man appeared before the Randburg Magistrate’s Court to hear the final decision on his bail application.
This comes after the mother of the minor broke down in tears while testifying and opposing the bail application of the man.
The man was arrested after he allegedly lured the girl and her brother, 10, inside his Diepsloot shop with snacks and then gave the boy R5 and told him to cover his face. Then he allegedly raped the girl.
In a tense courtroom on Friday, community members showed up in large numbers to support the victim's family and await the final decision on the bail application.
Magistrate Abdul Khan said that the tearful mother’s testimony provided detailed information about how the incident occurred.
However, he criticised the State and prosecutor Sibongile Mncengani for allowing the mother to testify while she was still traumatised by the incident.
"The mother's testimony highlighted the deep trauma the family endured and underscored the ongoing struggle women and girls face with gender-based violence (GBV)."
"It's deeply sad and troubling that this occurred during Women's Month, a time meant to honour women, yet women and children continue to be victims of GBV," he said.
He said that although the mother was not in the best condition to testify, she revealed to the court that the boy has been demonstrating at home how his younger sister was allegedly raped.
Khan said that she also pointed out how the children are now traumatised by the incident, with the young girl being teased by her peers because of what happened.
"She further emphasised the community's outrage over the incident and expressed her fear for her children's safety if the man is granted bail."
Owing to that, Khan denied the man bail, sending him back to the cells to join the other inmates.
He said the case is postponed until September 18 for further investigation and court proceedings.
Khan also criticised the investigating officer, Joel Ngobeni, for his absence and failure to attend court.
Outside the court, a jubilant crowd of community members celebrated, chanting and cheering after the man was denied bail.
The victim’s aunt, who cannot be named, told the media that they can finally breathe a sigh of relief now that the man has been denied bail.
“We’re thrilled that he’s been denied bail and locked up because this incident has deeply hurt and traumatised us. Even our mother had to come from the villages because of this,” she said.
She said they never expected something like this to happen to their family and were left in shock when it did.
“I never imagined this happening to my sister's children, and it's incredibly painful. Every time I see the child, I worry about how this incident will impact her life, especially with people already teasing her,” she said.
She said his bail denial will serve as a warning to others who commit such crimes against children.
"What would bring us even greater relief is seeing him serve a long sentence and face justice for the horrible crime he committed against a young girl."
Community leader Beauty Letsoalo, 59, voiced concerns, citing the pain of seeing rape incidents persist, even during Women's Month.
“For women and children to endure such pain is heartbreaking. We want our children to be safe, and this incident serves as a stark warning to others that harming a girl child is unacceptable,” she said.
Letsoalo added, “It’s Women’s Month, and yet we’re facing this painful reality of our children being raped. It’s deeply troubling.”
IOL