PAUL KIRK, Durban | Friday
THOUSANDS of men took to the streets of the South African city of Cape Town on Sunday to protest abuse of women and children, as local police on Sunday reported the rape of an eight-month-old baby.
Western Cape police commissioner Lennit Max told some 5 000 men, women and children at a rally after the march that police needed community support to find the infant’s rapists.
”We will do everything in our power to arrest the perpetrators, but we urge you as the community to say enough is enough,” he said.
This rape of the baby, who was reportedly in a stable condition, follows the rape of a nine-month old baby about a month ago.
A surge in child rapes was reported during the weekend including the rape of a two-year-old toddler and two girls of eight and nine.
The men’s march under the banner ”Real Men Don’t Rape” marked the start of a 16-day national campaign to raise awareness of violence against women and children.
The men brandished posters such as ”Real men don’t abuse and rape” and ”Death penalty for rapists and abusers”.
Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, who led the march, was joined by Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya, disgraced cleric and former political leader Allan Boesak and other community leaders.
At the rally Skweyiya said repeated reports of violence against women and children came as a shock not only to government but to all South Africans.
Ndungane and a lobby group, Women Demand Dignity (WDD), presented the minister with a memorandum ”agenda for change” which calls for convicted rapists and child abusers to be automatically sentenced to life imprisonment.
Among the demands are that the survivors of rape and abuse be given free counselling, a register of sex offenders be set up and monitored and domestic violence be treated as a criminal offence.
Meanwhile, in Johannesburg, the campaign involving government and civil society organisations was launched by the Gauteng provincial government.
”Our message…is that abuse of women is a criminal offence, which is punishable by law,” said Gauteng’s MEC for safety and liaison Nomvula Mokonyane.
In another case, a two-and-a-half-year-old girl was found abandoned and raped in a field on Saturday night at Port Nolloth, Northern Cape police said on Sunday.
Inspector Chantel Manuel said the mother of the girl left the baby in the care of her 17-year-old sister at their home around 5pm.
Manuel said the girl’s aunt alleged that the toddler ran after her mother to the house where she was visiting and when she arrived the mother was not there.
The rapist then met the little girl while walking back home and he took her to a field. Manuel said around 8pm a 41-year-old woman brought the baby home after she had found her in a field, trying to walk.
The woman said the baby was crying bitterly and could not talk. Manuel said the baby had been raped and had sustained serious vaginal injuries.
She was taken to Upington Hospital and her condition was described as serious. – Sapa, AFP