An advertisement - asking who is responsible for the gang-rape of nine-month-old Tshepang in the Northern Cape - on Friday became the latest sign of a growing public outcry for action on South Africa's horrific child-abuse record.
The challenge to politicians featured the leaders of six political parties in South Africa, including President Thabo Mbeki, with the playoff line "Who is really responsible?"
The ad, placed in the Mail & Guardian on Friday and which is due to appear in several other newspapers, features Mbeki, Bantu Holomisa of the United Democratic Movement, Pieter Mulder of the Freedom Front, Mangosuthu Buthelezi of the IFP, Tony Leon of the Democratic Party and Stanley Mogoba of the PAC.
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Bold yellow writing on top of the six pictures reads: "When a nine-month-old baby was recently gang-raped, who were the guilty parties?"
'These deeds must be emphatically denounced by society' It asks whether it was the men who raped her, the "huge number of South Africans who are so inured to violence and tragedy that nothing galvanises them into action anymore", or "was it the political leaders we've entrusted to ensure basic human rights for our women and children?
"One thing is certain: apart from a few hollow platitudes, there has been a deafening silence from those we should be looking to for guidance and reassurance."
The advert calls on "every single person in South Africa, from president to plumber, politician to paper vendor", who believe rape is wrong, to take collective responsibility.
The condition of the nine-month-old baby girl - named Tshepang (which means 'have hope') to protect her true identity - who was gang-raped and sodomised in Louisvaleweg in the Northern Cape last week is improving, a Kimberley Hospital spokesperson said on Friday. "We are very happy with the baby's current progression.
'We haven't accused the politicians - we're just asking questions'
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