Durban: The KZN MEC for Social Development is expected to visit a Bergville teenager whose teeth were allegedly knocked out before she was raped.
MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza has described the incident as appalling.
Her department said the aim of the visit was to obtain details regarding the progress on the matter after police allegedly failed to arrest the alleged perpetrator.
“It is alleged that the teenage victim was threatened with a knife and assaulted, resulting in her teeth being knocked before being raped in July.”
Khoza said further reports allege that the accused’s family had tried to persuade the victim's mother to accept cattle as a gesture to pay for damages after her daughter's ordeal.
"This conduct is abhorrent, unacceptable and falls far short of ubuntu. As the caring government, we are not going to sit on our laurels while our children suffer abuse in the communities. Such incidents can never be swept under the carpet, with some people thinking that they will pay inhlawulo (fine/damages) after rape."
Khona said a team of social workers had been assigned to the victim’s family.
Khoza said she and the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Sipho Hlomuka planned to convene an an urgent meeting with the police station's management and the victim’s family.
"As the provincial government, we want to assess the functionality of the police station and investigate the allegations that have been made by communities on the lack of investigations and arrest when such cases are reported to this police station.“
IOL