Times Of Swaziland: 4 GIRLS RAPED, FUEL CHALLENGES DELAY ARREST OF SUSPECT

4 GIRLS RAPED, FUEL CHALLENGES DELAY ARREST OF SUSPECT
================================================================================
BY SITHEMBILE HLATSHWAYO on 16/11/2020 09:37:00


MBABANE – It is now reaching crisis point.
This is the general consensus concerning the shortage of fuel within government,
which has also immensely affected the operations of the police service.
As it is, four children who were allegedly raped by a community member have been
unable to tell their story to the police. This is because the police cannot
reach the area where the children reside due to a fuel shortage. In fact, three
weeks have passed without a statement being recorded by the police following the
alleged rape of the four children aged between six and 10 years.
The delay by the officers to record a statement has been attributed to fuel
challenges.
The shocking incident happened at Mgidzangcunu at Vuvulane, where an elderly man
believed to be over 50 years is accused of having raped the minors.
Siblings
The children are not siblings but friends and have not received counselling of
any sort since the ordeal. Such a rape incident is not the first to happen in
the country.
In a recent statement made in August, the National Commissioner of Police,
William Tsitsibala Dlamini said the country was presently witnessing a
disturbing rise in the number of gender-based violence cases, rape in
particular, which depicted an increase of 11 per cent from 560 recorded cases
between January to August 2019 compared to 629 in the corresponding period in
2020.
Dlamini said the perpetration of violence in all its forms had no room in modern
society and such was not, and should not be condoned in any sector of society
because more often than not, it usually culminated into serious crimes committed
with aggravating circumstances.
According to the survivors’ guardians, the incident has resulted in the
children becoming very edgy and not in a very good state of mind, mostly because
they have been unable to get the necessary assistance following the traumatic
experience.
Further, they disclosed that the matter was reported to the police by the
community authorities. They stated that the police only came once and took the
survivors to Mkhuzweni Clinic where they were treated and discharged.
According to the guardians, they received a call from the investigating police
officer who informed them that they had fuel challenges and could not come to
record statements with the minors.
The parents said the alleged rapist who was known by the police but was not
arrested continued to roam freely in the area.
Narrating the details of how the rape incidents occurred, the guardians said the
children were lured with money ranging from E1 to E10.
Sheeben
They noted that the alleged rapist owned two houses situated at the village and
one was owned by his girlfriend, while the other was used as a shebeen. “This
is the same house where the perpetrator pounced on the children,” the
guardians alleged.
On the day he allegedly sexually assaulted the children, the guardians said the
place was not busy as there was no alcohol.
“My daughter, who is aged 10, was passing-by, going to the shops and was
called by her peers who were in the company of the alleged rapist whom they said
was calling her,” one of the guardians said.
“Upon reaching his flat, he ordered my daughter and the other children to
remove their clothes. She also mentioned that her daughter tried resisting but
was forcefully removed her clothes and raped,” the guardian alleged.
Meanwhile, the guardian said all four children were raped one after the other.
Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA) Director Nonhlanhla Dlamini said
their office would be visiting the survivors today to provide counselling.
Dlamini stated that they would also check on whether a statement was recorded
with the police and assist in that regard.
When reached for comment, Chief Police Information and Communications Officer
Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the issue. She called upon the
parents of the children who were allegedly raped to come forward and assist the
police with their investigations. Vilakati said the investigation desk was still
communicating to get more evidence as there seemed to be loopholes in the issue.
She said children’s issues were handled sensitivity. Vilakati said they had
challenges with fuel but as police officers, they continued to serve the nation
diligently and would not stop doing their job.
Relationship
“Communities should learn to creat a healthy relationship with their station
commanders in order to seek intervention if they feel their issue had not been
well attended to,” Vilakati said. She also encouraged survivors of
gender-based violence (GBV) to also approach the Deputy Prime Minister’s
Office, under the Social Welfare Department, where they could plead their case.
Meanwhile, she said parents needed to take the responsibility and do not assume
that police would know what was happening. “We need to work hand-in-hand with
the guardians in such issues.”
The DPM, Themba Masuku, said he would get his team to work on the matter and
ensure that the children received the much deserved counselling.
Masuku noted that the protection of the child was a responsibility of the
parents, whom, he stated, were partly to blame. “Guardians are really letting
us down and the nation as well,” Masuku said.
He noted that if parents knew that an area was not safe, they should take it
upon themselves to ensure safety first for their children and family members.
Masuku said a number of these unfortunate incidents that were happening were due
to the fact that parents were not responsible. “When you bring a child into
this world, it is their responsibility to protect, feed, clothe, educate and
give healthcare services to the minor,” he noted.