rapist appears
Stuart Hess
TWO thousand Katlehong people marched on the Germiston Magistrate’s Court this week when the man accused of raping a seven- year-old girl made his appearnance. Dan Mabote is charged with raping Mamokgethi Malebana and two other children, all from the Mosiliki section in Katlehong.
Mamokgethi, a sub-B pupil, disappeared on March 25. That was the day before she was to testify against Mabote in the court. The Malebana family believe Mabote abducted their child.
The disappearance and bail granted to Mabote, first revealed in the Mail & Guardian, has infuriated Katlehong, which has lent its support to the family. As the M&G went to press, the child’s grandmother was giving evidence. Mamokgethi’s mother and three neighbours were also to give evidence in the court. The courtroom was packed, and several other scheduled cases were postponed to make way for Mabote’s hearing.
“Sanco [South African National Civic Organisation] have helped us a lot,” Jonas Malebana, Mamokgethi’s grandfather, told the M&G. “I don’t blame Sanco for taking this long, they are trying their best to find her.”
“The community have supported the campaign but they are angry because it is not the first time this has happened,” said Dorothy Lekoane, general secretary of the Sanco branch in the Mosiliki section.
Lekoane, Sanco chair David Malohle, church leaders and other community organisations are using Mamokgethi’s horrific tale to lead an awareness campaign about child abuse.
Mamokgethi’s rape and subsequent disappearance have galvanised the community. Student representative councils (SRCs) at 14 high schools in Katlehong are assisting the family in their search.
The SRC president at Katlehong High School, Serame Makhalayane, believes every school needs to support the awareness campaign. “We have to be the voices for the primary school pupils who don’t fully understand what child abuse is all about,” he said.
Although the SRC has not been able to provide the police with information, Makhalayane asked students not to be discouraged from continuing the search: “Until we know what happened to Mamokgethi, we won’t stop looking for her.”
Church leaders in the area have lent their support to the Malebanas.
Residents like Rosina Molapo are bitter and scared. Bitter, because the authorities are doing little to solve the problem and scared because child abuse is increasing. “Many people do not report cases because the next day the perpetrators are back on the streets,” said Molapo, who has five children.
The police have offered a reward of up to R10 000 for any information which might lead to Mamokgethi being found.