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Ordeal has changed girls

THE rape of a young girl by a man who lived in the same street as she has totally changed her character.

*Mpho Thakadu of Botse Street in Mohlakeng, near Randfontein, was raped by Floyd Sentsho in 2010 when she was only 11 years old.

Sentsho allegedly raped another young girl from the same street, *Lesego Malebo, who was nine at the time.

But her case was not heard in court.

As a result both girls are now allegedly HIV positive.

Mpho's mother *Evelyn says her daughter has become very aggressive.

"I would ask her to do something and she would refuse in a very rude way," her mother says. "She was never this way before she was raped, but since then there has been a marked change in her behaviour."

She suspects her daughter has been affected mentally by her ordeal.

"I sometimes find her talking to herself."

Lesego's mother, Boipelo, also says there has been a change in her daughter.

"Her teacher once called me to the school to tell me she was not paying attention. She would simply sit there and stare at the teacher and then fall asleep in class," Boipelo says.

Lesego performed poorly in school at the beginning of last year.

"She failed in June and September, but later improved and passed. She is going to Grade 5 this year," her mother says. Mpho also passed and is going to Grade 9.

During his sentencing [he got a life sentence], Sentsho was lambasted by magistrate Ettiene van Niekerk for not showing remorse.

"I can crush you. I can destroy you. But I won't do that because I am only looking at the facts (of the case). Even after being convicted you have shown no remorse," he said.

- selebim@sowetan.co.za

*Their real names have not been used to protect their identities.

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