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A KING William’s Town mother said she was devastated after going to school to pick up her six-year-old daughter and finding she had been raped.
The girl, who cannot be named to protect her identity, was raped, allegedly by an older pupil, at the private school’s toi let last Friday. The parents said since reporting the matter they have been “disgusted and disappointed” by the way the school handled the matter. They accused the principal of caring more about the school’s integrity than the safety of its pupils when the school failed to suspend the suspected rapist pending further investigation. “The school had failed us be cause they showed no remorse and at first the headmaster denied that the incident even occurred.
“The boy that had raped my sister is still at the school,” said the victim’s older sister.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, the girl’s mother said she found her daughter crying and trembling when she picked her up from school on Friday afternoon.
“I asked her what was wrong but she did not answer, she was just crying,” said the mother.
“I went back into the school to find out what could have happened to the child and a teacher told me that she was crying be cause she did not do her home work.”
The mother said they went home and a few minutes after arriving the girl started crying uncontrollably and said that some boy had pushed her in the toilets.
“I then asked my helper to bathe her and while the helper was undressing her, she discovered that her underwear was covered with blood.
“I immediately called her elder sister who lives a few metres away.”
The girl was taken to the King William’s Town police station where a rape case was opened. A medical report shown to the Dai ly Dispatch stated that the girl had been penetrated.
When the Dispatch visited the school yesterday morning, the police were at the school as part of their investigation.
But the girl’s relatives were not happy about the manner in which the investigation was done. The girl’s uncle said that they took his niece to various classrooms to go and identify the person that had raped her.
“She eventually pointed out who had done this to her,” said the uncle.
The school principal, who only identified herself as Mrs K. Naicker, declined to comment on the matter.
“I have the right not to comment and I would prefer you do not print the story until the investigation is concluded,” she said, and referred further questions to a director of the school.
“We do not want to say anything at the moment. All we are doing is to cooperate with the police and allow them to do their work,” said the director.
Provincial education spokes man Loyiso Pulumani said the matter was an extremely sad and disturbing matter.
“Even more of a harrowing ordeal for the toddler who has had to endure such barbarity.”
“Even though the school as a private entity falls outside of our direct authority, we would expect the board and the school’s management team to work with the police to ensure that this matter is fully investigated and finalised as soon as possible,” said Pu lumani.
“The department will consider any additional assistance to this family.”
Police spokeswoman Lieutenant Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed that a rape case had been opened.
“The investigation is ongoing and it is conducted by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit that deals with cases of this nature.
“Due to the sensitivity of the case, This office is not at liberty to give any information as this can jeopardise the case,” said Mawisa.
The family has since decided to take the child out of the school and keep her at home for the rest of the year.