Pertunia Ratsatsi
Pertunia Ratsatsi
A seven-year-old Ivory Park girl who was abducted four weeks ago has been found alive at the Ga-Rankuwa Hospital.
But police say little Caroline Mathebula is lucky to have survived.
She was strangled and left for dead by her mother's ex-boyfriend, but was saved by a passer-by who took her to hospital.
The ex-boyfriend, Thabang Ndlovu, who was angry because Mathebula's mother had dumped him, committed suicide believing that the child was dead.
When the the passer-by found Mathebula in the Rosslyn industrial area, she had scars on her head, forehead and neck.
Police spokesman Lesiba Manamela said Ndlovu, 28, used a rope to strangle the girl and left her in the bush when he thought she was dead.
Manamela said: "Ndlovu fetched the girl from her school in Ivory Park on July 7 (Monday) and told her that he wanted to take her somewhere.
"He took her to a bush where he tied her to a tree until Tuesday morning.
"Ndlovu then boarded a train to Rosslyn with the girl, where he strangled her with a rope.
The passer-by found her on Tuesday afternoon and she was admitted to the George Mukhari Hospital.
One of the hospital employees recognised the girl's face from a newspaper picture and called the police on Monday afternoon.
Her mother, Nomsa Mathebula, 27, could not believe her eyes when her ordeal turned to relief yesterday.
"God has answered my prayers," she said. "I curse the day I met that man and I hope God has punished him for what he did to my child.
"I would like to thank the police who worked day and night to find my child."
Caroline is a Grade 1 pupil at Ithe mphophoma Primary School in Ivory Park.
Ndlovu was found hanging from a tree near a shopping centre in Ebony Park on July 12.
Mathebula said she had been living with Ndlovu since 2004.
"My daughter accepted him as her father because I have a two-year-old daughter with him," Mathebula said.
"I broke up with him a month ago but he did not want to accept it.
"He was an alcoholic who treated me badly when drunk. He would kick me and the children out into the streets at night.
"I know that he was angry with me for dumping him but I did not think he would take it out on my child."
KIDNAPPED girl lucky to be alive
Pertunia Ratsatsi
Pertunia Ratsatsi
A seven-year-old Ivory Park girl who was abducted four weeks ago has been found alive at the Ga-Rankuwa Hospital.
But police say little Caroline Mathebula is lucky to have survived.
She was strangled and left for dead by her mother's ex-boyfriend, but was saved by a passer-by who took her to hospital.
The ex-boyfriend, Thabang Ndlovu, who was angry because Mathebula's mother had dumped him, committed suicide believing that the child was dead.
When the the passer-by found Mathebula in the Rosslyn industrial area, she had scars on her head, forehead and neck.
Police spokesman Lesiba Manamela said Ndlovu, 28, used a rope to strangle the girl and left her in the bush when he thought she was dead.
Manamela said: "Ndlovu fetched the girl from her school in Ivory Park on July 7 (Monday) and told her that he wanted to take her somewhere.
"He took her to a bush where he tied her to a tree until Tuesday morning.
"Ndlovu then boarded a train to Rosslyn with the girl, where he strangled her with a rope.
The passer-by found her on Tuesday afternoon and she was admitted to the George Mukhari Hospital.
One of the hospital employees recognised the girl's face from a newspaper picture and called the police on Monday afternoon.
Her mother, Nomsa Mathebula, 27, could not believe her eyes when her ordeal turned to relief yesterday.
"God has answered my prayers," she said. "I curse the day I met that man and I hope God has punished him for what he did to my child.
"I would like to thank the police who worked day and night to find my child."
Caroline is a Grade 1 pupil at Ithe mphophoma Primary School in Ivory Park.
Ndlovu was found hanging from a tree near a shopping centre in Ebony Park on July 12.
Mathebula said she had been living with Ndlovu since 2004.
"My daughter accepted him as her father because I have a two-year-old daughter with him," Mathebula said.
"I broke up with him a month ago but he did not want to accept it.
"He was an alcoholic who treated me badly when drunk. He would kick me and the children out into the streets at night.
"I know that he was angry with me for dumping him but I did not think he would take it out on my child."
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