Cape Town - A fourteen-year-old girl has not returned to school since she was gang raped, allegedly by four boys under the age of 12 who flashed a gun at her and recorded the incident which has since gone viral.
According to a family spokesperson, the girl has been left traumatised, a consequence of both the assault and the subsequent exposure of the horrific ordeal to the public.
The girl has opened up about the rape, saying children at her school started making fun of her, calling her harsh names and telling her she “wanted it to happen so that she could be famous”.
“As she explained, she bunked on the day it happened.
“She had been sitting in the park when she was approached by four boys who flashed a gun at her, forcing her to follow them to an open field near Kapteinsklip train station.
“The eldest one recorded, while the younger ones held her down and took turns raping her,” the spokesperson said.
The video shows the girl’s face and shows the boys bragging about what they had done. The boy making the video also mentions the school the victim attends by name. The girl’s grandmother said another child approached her in the area with the shocking video, almost two weeks later.
“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It felt like my heart was going to stand still. I was shocked but more heartbroken.”
The grandmother said she went to the police station but was told to go to social workers, and then was sent back to the police station.
That is when she asked the family spokesperson for help, who then went to the police station and demanded to make a statement with the child.
The grandmother said they wanted the boys involved to be dealt with accordingly and for her granddaughter to know that nothing that had happened was “her fault”.
“They shouldn’t just be let go of with a warning, because tomorrow they do it to someone else’s child, while my granddaughter will always have this hanging over her.”
They are now calling for justice for the girl, with the spokesperson saying the victim had become withdrawn, and afraid to go to school.
“At the moment she has her work sent to her, but for how long can this be done?”
Police spokesperson, Malcolm Pojie, said Mitchell’s Plain police opened a sexual offences enquiry, which is currently being investigated by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.
“According to reports the incident occurred on Friday, October 11, in the vicinity of Tafelsig, when a minor girl was allegedly violated by four minor boys. The boys are reportedly under the age of 12. A forensic social worker has been assigned to assist the investigation officer to get to the bottom of the allegations.”
Pojie said no arrests had been made. Western Cape Department of Social Development spokesperson, Esther Lewis, said they were aware of the matter, and a social worker had been assigned to provide the necessary support to the girl.
“Anyone who has been a victim of rape, abuse, or other form of gender-based violence, can access support by making contact with a social worker at their nearest DSD office.”
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said while the incident did not happen at school, they had contacted the school and would provide counselling support.
“These are very concerning and disturbing allegations. We will also cooperate with authorities where necessary in their investigations.”
Hammond did not answer questions relating to intervention or whether the boys were still at school.
Police appealed to anyone with information to call Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the mobile application MySAPS anonymously.
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za