The mother of a seven-year-old girl that Nicholas Ninow has admitted raping became "hysterical" when she could not see her child in the play area of the Dros restaurant, a witness said on Tuesday.
On Monday, Ninow
pleaded guilty to accosting the girl when she went to the restaurant's bathroom on September 22 2018.
The trial is ongoing with the state leading its witnesses.
A former childminder at the Silverton Dros told the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday that she had been looking after the child and others in the kiddies corner at Dros. According to the woman, children occupy two kiddies corners at the restaurant. One accommodates 7-12 year olds and other accommodates 1-3 year olds.
Before children are allowed to play, their details are entered into a register and a sticker is placed on the child's chest, she said.
The victim and her mother got to the restaurant around noon. The mother was with two children; the girl and her brother.
Asked if she was working with another person in the play area, the woman said she worked alone but would, when she needed assistance, ask workers in the pizza section to look after the children.
"On the day in question, I did not ask anyone to assist me until I went for lunch at 4pm. There were still children in the kiddies corner.
"Before I went to lunch, the child requested to go to the bathroom.
"I asked the lady in the pizza section to look after the children. I told her I would take a 15 minute break," the woman said.
"The girl went to the ladies' bathroom and I proceeded to go to the back to have my lunch."
She said when she got back from her lunch break, she found the girl's brother seated alone while other children were playing. "I asked him why he was playing alone. He said his sister went to the bathroom."