Reuters

Two teachers from a Benoni school were arrested for possession and distribution of child pornography. Photo: Reuters

A tearful 58-year-old pig farmer – linked to an alleged child porn ring – said when he and his wife became foster parents of one of the children they are now accused of sexually abusing, she had already been raped. But his plea to the authorities to get help for her, fell on deaf ears.

The child, now eight, was two when she ended up in the couple’s home. She is now expected to be one of the main witnesses in the State’s case against the pair and their six co-accused.

The man read out the statement to the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court which he had earlier made to the high court in his bid to get back the girl, and another child – a boy – who is now six. The boy is also said to have been a victim of the alleged porn sex syndicate.

The girl, who he claimed was psychologically unstable because of what happened to her before he got her, came to them in August 2004.

Her sister at the time told him the girl had been sexually molested, he said. She was smelly and infested with lice. Her behaviour was erratic and if something fell on the ground, she would snatch it up and stuff it into her mouth.

“She in no uncertain terms told me an uncle had hurt her at the dam where they used to live in a caravan park. She said he hurt her in a car parked there and that he had rotten teeth and that his breath stank.”

The accused said the girl had nightmares during which she would shout “Willie, don’t eina me.”

She swore and did not know words such as thank you and please.

He took her to a medical clinic that refused to examine her. The Christian Social Council, which placed her in his care, was no help at all. They told him she would “grow out of it”, the man said.

During bath times she would stick sharp objects into her vagina and he told the social worker about this, he said. Her advice was to place a lot of toys in the bath to keep her occupied, he added.

He said he told the social worker that the child sexually molested his young grandsons, but she said this was normal as all children masturbated and explored.

When he told the social worker this child needed urgent psychological help, he was told there was no money for this, he said.

She was eventually sent to a psychologist, but nothing was done to help her. “I told the social worker this child had been raped, but nobody would do anything about it… I eventually threatened her with the court.”

The social worker told him “I will show you” and the next thing the child was removed from his care.

The boy who was placed in their care was taken away because the social worker said the child was unkempt as he had long hair.

The accused burst into tears when he said they had to keep the child’s hair long, as his neck was disfigured as a result of how he was abused before he came to him and his wife.

“We had to grow his hair because the other children were mocking him,” the weeping man said.

He said he and his wife wanted the court to give the children back, to “prevent them from being subjected to further trauma”.

Miranda Friedmann, director of Women and Men Against Child Abuse, who attended yesterday’s bail hearing, called for swift action and the immediate suspension of the social workers of the Christian Social Council who placed the children in the care of these people.

“If they had responsibly monitored the wellbeing of the children, they would have seen signs of neglect and would have known they had been further abused and raped.

“Even after enough evidence came to light to suggest the children were in serious danger, it took various groups months to pressurise them to investigate the children’s circumstances and to remove them.” The Pretoria News yesterday tried in vain to get comment from the Christian Social Council.

Some Film and Publication Board members also attended yesterday’s hearing.

Its chief executive Yoliswa Makhasi said: “We want to send a message that no child pornography will be tolerated. We are supporting the State in its opposition of bail to the eight accused.” - Pretoria News