A Moorreesburg mother is struggling to get justice and assistance for her daughter after the child was allegedly sexually assaulted by a local pastor.
The four-year-old girl was apparently abused on two occasions in May and October.
The pastor, who owns a crèche, also has another sexual assault charge against him involving a three-year-old girl.
This incident allegedly happened at the crèche in August.
The devastated mother of the four-year-old child says the man is yet to be charged.
“This pastor was arrested and had to appear on 7 October. We got to court and he never appeared and was not placed on the court’s roll,” she says.
Her daughter now refuses to eat and suffers from nightmares.
She says according to a custody court order, the girl must stay with her dad every second weekend.
“I noticed her changing and always crying when she got back from her stay and she refused to wash. Then she told me about the pastor, ‘ mommy die man het in my koeka gekrap’.”
The 24-year-old mother says she sought help from Social Welfare but “they couldn’t help”.
She also tried to restrict the father’s parental rights, but the magistrate said she must uphold the court order.
“He was just restricted to have the child see certain family members. I felt helpless, because just as I suspected, it happened again.
“I took her to a hospital in Piketberg and the doctor confirmed she was sexually assaulted.”
ISSUE: Moorreesburg pastor ‘assaulted little girl’. Picture: Patrick Semansky
Child activist Lucinda Evans says: “If there are allegations against this pastor why is this crèche open?”
SAPS’ Noloyiso Rwexana
confirmed three cases of sexual assault are being investigated by the FCS with no arrests.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said they had only received the case docket last week and a decision to prosecute must still be made.
Joshua Covenant Chigome, spokesperson for Minister of Social Development, Sharna Fernandez, says officials
support both victims: “Furthermore, the ECD facility have plans in place and the pastor is not allowed near or on the
premises.”