By POLOKO TAU

Ten-year-old Tsholofelo* drew up a sketch. One human figure with long hair represents herself and the other bigger person in the picture, her alleged rapist.

She wrote next to it in Setswana: “He then took me to his bedroom, undressed me and turned on the television showing me how people did nasty things like he was doing.”

Tsholofelo’s writing is legible for a young girl who had not completed her third grade due to epilepsy, and who needed specialised care that saw her dropping out of school.

Her visibly distraught mother Noni* took Tsholofelo’s tiny hand, placed it between her own hands and began rubbing it in a comforting way.

“This child has been through hell and needs all the support she can get,” Noni said. “She was raped by a neighbour who is known to her, hence she went over when he called her, because she trusted him. We then placed our hope in the court to take that dangerous man out of the society but he was released on bail and is back to haunt and traumatise (Tsholofelo).”

Noni claimed the same man “had raped a young girl before and it was baffling how the court had decided to grant him bail and let him loose in society when he had proved that he had not been rehabilitated”.

Noni said her daughter was raped on New Year’s Day. The man lives diagonally opposite their home in the next street in Tlhabane township outside Rustenburg, North West.

She said the alleged rapist was released from prison late last year after serving time for murder and rape.

Recollecting the New Year’s Day events, Noni said Tsholofelo left home and was on her way to a house her mother had visited around the corner.

“When she arrived she had a handful of coins which she later told me were given to her by (her alleged rapist) after doing nasty things to her.

“She was threatened by the same man not to tell anyone about what had happened,” she said.

“(Tsholofelo) said she was made to watch pornography, had her private parts wiped with a wet hand-towel before and after she was raped.”

A case of rape was opened and the suspect arrested the same day, but Noni said she was surprised when she saw him walking the streets, sparking fear in her and Tsholofelo.

“The thing is, (Tsholofelo) was raped by another man about four years ago. The case never went anywhere because he was not from the neighbourhood. He vanished and was never found by the police,” Noni said.

“The first incident affected her a lot and this second one is being worsened by the fact that she often sees the man walking past out house. When she sees him she runs back into the house and hides behind me.”

Noni said the man was known as a dangerous person and the community was not happy that he was out on bail. “We all are disappointed in the court and feel let down by the law for releasing him on bail,” she said.

“I have tried to raise my concerns with social workers but they can’t over-rule a court decision. I feel helpless and it hurts a lot looking at the enormous trauma that my young girl is forced to go through.”

Noni said before the incident Tsholofelo was a “bubbly child” who normally went out to play with her peers, but things had changed dramatically.

“Now she beats other children when they come to the house. She wants to be around me at all times and can’t leave the house without me,” she said.

“She now hates all men and openly expresses her hatred against (her alleged rapist) and how he had done painful and nasty things to her. We will only feel safe once this man is back behind bars, but now we’re in the dark and the police are not updating me on the case. I don’t even know when (the suspect) is due to appear in court or when and how he was granted bail.”

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said children in the neighbourhood were suddenly afraid of the alleged rapist and afraid to pass by his house after the incident.

“Everyone is against his release. Our children are obviously not safe with him out there and the rape of young children is becoming a trend in our townships, yet nothing much is being done to address it,” she said.

“People take advantage of children, but the police, government and courts are not helping, and are instead favouring rapists over helpless children.”

Mirriam Willimse, ward councillor in Tlhabane, said people like the alleged rapist did “not belong to the society”.

“Police and courts should bear the blame for letting him out on bail but we’ll stand up and support the young girl and her family. Pressure should be put on courts to lock up rapists, especially those who rape young, disabled children,” she said.

North West prosecutions spokesman Frank Lesenyego said the suspect was granted bail on his third appearance on January 18 after an investigating officer failed to attend court proceedings on two occasions, citing ill health.

“(Accused’s defence) successfully opposed state application for further remand and proceeded with application for bail by handing in affidavits showing exceptional circumstances justifying the accused’s release on bail,” Lesenyego said.

He said the suspect’s bail was fixed at R2 000 and he was warned not to interfere or threaten identified state witnesses.

The Star Africa