An Ottery ouma is pleading for help to get her 13-year-old granddaughter away from a man who, she says, is making the child “his wife”.
The 66-year-old woman, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the minor, says despite obtaining a protection order against the 30-year-old man, who has sex with and beats the child, police have failed to rescue the “sex slave”.
The girl’s family lives in the Freedom Park informal settlement.
SCENE: The Freedom Park informal settlement in Ottery. Photo: Monique Duval
The trouble started some months ago when the girl and her mother moved into the man’s house. The mother, who is said to be on drugs, has since disappeared.
“Her mother is on drugs and they went to live with him, but then she just left the child there.
“He keeps her in his hokkie and she is basically his wife.
“She must do duties (chores) and have sex with him and she is only 13,” the angry ouma says.
The Grade 8 learner left school in June and the ouma says when she went to inquire she was told the teen had dropped out and did not write her exams.
“I went to Wynberg Court and got a protection order that says he must stay away from my family and the child, but he does not listen,” the granny says.
“I got it on 10 July and they told me if he does not let her go I must go to the police station.
“I went to Lansdowne Police Station and the two constables came here with me and dropped me back at home. Then they told me they cannot help and just left.”
The ouma says last Sunday the girl tried to escape, but the vark had beaten her up and dragged her back into the hokkie by her hair.
“He hit her in the face and her eye turned blue. He pulled her hair and dragged her back into the hokkie. We just want help from the police to get her out of there.
“She is a child and that is rape. She must be in school, not at home like his wife.”
The Daily Voice went to the informal settlement last week, but neither the girl nor the man could be found.
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana, says no child abduction cases have been reported at Lansdowne Police Station.
But the ouma says she sought help from Keith Blake, a community worker, who reported the matter to provincial SAPS and Lansdowne Police Station’s management.
“I got an email back saying the intervention unit will be taking it up,” Blake says.