Cape Town - The murder of 5-year old Kaithlynn Wilson this week has brought into stark focus a worrying trend where children are the victims of relationships gone wrong with many being injured or even killed by an intimate partner solely to hurt the other.
In at least three cases in the past two years, three children were killed where the motive was revenge or to spite the mother.
On Sunday, Kaithlynn's body was found on a farm in Riebeek West. Her swollen head was covered in scars, her mouth muffled and her eyes and nose covered in duct-tape.
Two men, one the ex-boyfriend of Kaithlynn’s mother, were arrested and appeared in the Malmesbury Magistrate’s court.
Yvonne Wilson, believes her daugther was killed as a form of revenge.
“I know he did it for revenge. He wanted me back and I refused. He has been stalking me and I was planning to get a protection order against him. He used to beat me and pull my hair in front of her. Kaithlynn feared him,” she said.
RAPED: Kaithlynn Wilson, 5.
Two months ago, Minentle Lekhata’s, 5, body was discovered under a bridge in Nomzamo. On Thursday, her grandmother’s ex-boyfriend, Xolani Lantu, 35, appeared in court for rape, murder and kidnapping.
Thelma Bomela, 49, said she had been with Lantu since 2013 but ended the relationship after noticing a change in his behaviour. “I heard from police that he confessed to killing her to punish me.”
“He started drinking and when I warned him against it he would show bullying tendencies. I didn’t expect that he would hurt my grandchild. Why did he go for her, why did he not come for me?”
KIDNAPPED: Minentle Lekhatha, 5.
The killer of 7-month-old Inganathi Mnyani from Philippi is serving a 14-year sentence after entering into a plea agreement with the State.
Zukile Nakupi bashed the infant to death, throwing her against walls following an argument with her mother, Andisiwe Mnyani. Inganathi was conceived while Nakupi was in prison on other charges, but on his release the couple reunited.
Saartjie Baartman Centre’s senior social worker and residential manager, Dorothy Gertse, said 60 children were housed at any given time.
“The majority of those children have been beaten up or sexually abused by their father, their mother’s boyfriend or their stepfather.
“When they can’t get hold of the mother they inflict pain on the child with the intention to hurt the mother. Rape is the most traumatic and excruciating pain any mother may endure in such cases,” said Gertse.
Sonke Gender Justice senior strategic adviser, Bafana Khumalo, said he had noticed the revenge trend.
“There are many cases where men refused to let go and when the woman moves on they hurt them where it will hurt most, which is killing her child or children. Even women do this. They kill the children in a gruesome way such as burning or mutilating them to divert attention and for the pain to be worse and continuous beyond death. That is the intention of the perpetrator,” said Bafana.
Research chairperson for historical trauma and transformation at Stellenbosch University, Professor Pamela Gobodo Madikizela, said it was investigating this trend.
“We trying to connect the dots because we have noticed that these vindictive people who commit horrendous crimes are are young and it’s seriously concerning.They want to inflict pain in their partners or former partners because they totally have absence of empathy.”
Madikizela said children end up being victims as they are vulnerable and cannot fight for themselves.
“They feel in power and in control of things and insidious violence creeps in. In that moment there is no sense of humanity because they are empty and are trying to reclaim some sense of meaning in their lives that lack,” she said.