A young Tsonga girl is feeling much better now that she doesn’t have to look her rapist in the eye daily.
The girl‚ 10‚ who cannot be named‚ and her friend‚ 12‚ were raped by their neighbour Antonio Hlahla at his house in 2013.
Hlahla‚ 71‚ had been living at home until recently‚ but last month he was convicted of the two rapes and jailed at the Tsonga Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga.
“My daughter at the moment is feeling better than before. She’s feeling better because she doesn’t see that man anymore‚” the girl’s father told TMG Digital on Tuesday.
“The problem was that man stayed 30m from my house‚ so every day my child saw that man.”
The girl was forced to see Hlahla for almost three years while awaiting the outcome of the trial. Her friend and the second complainant in the case is moving from the area because of this‚ the man said.
It was only three months ago that Hlahla moved to his sister’s home. He has since been convicted and taken into police custody.
The man said that the court process has been frustrating for his family with constant delays.
Advocacy group Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) intervened after the man’s employer asked it for assistance in getting the matter resolved.
“WMACA advocacy team travelled to Tsonga to the court‚ to find out what was causing the delays.
“Thereafter WMACA Director Miranda Friedman communicated with advocate Pierre Smith of the Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Department of the [National Prosecuting Authority] detailing the unacceptable delays in this case‚ which eventually resulted in the allocation of Ms Monica Nyuswa from the NPA to monitor the case.
“From then onwards the case progressed rapidly with minimal delays which resulted in his conviction last month‚” the organisation said in a statement.
On Tuesday‚ however‚ the man’s frustration surfaced again when Hlahla’s sentencing proceedings were postponed.
“Many‚ many times I’m not working and going to court but nothing happens‚” he said.
Nyuswa said the case was postponed because the probation officer’s report was not ready.
The man will send his wife to court at the next appearance on Thursday because he must go to work‚ he said.
Girl‚ 10‚ happier now that doesn't have to see her rapist
A young Tsonga girl is feeling much better now that she doesn’t have to look her rapist in the eye daily.
The girl‚ 10‚ who cannot be named‚ and her friend‚ 12‚ were raped by their neighbour Antonio Hlahla at his house in 2013.
Hlahla‚ 71‚ had been living at home until recently‚ but last month he was convicted of the two rapes and jailed at the Tsonga Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga.
“My daughter at the moment is feeling better than before. She’s feeling better because she doesn’t see that man anymore‚” the girl’s father told TMG Digital on Tuesday.
“The problem was that man stayed 30m from my house‚ so every day my child saw that man.”
The girl was forced to see Hlahla for almost three years while awaiting the outcome of the trial. Her friend and the second complainant in the case is moving from the area because of this‚ the man said.
It was only three months ago that Hlahla moved to his sister’s home. He has since been convicted and taken into police custody.
The man said that the court process has been frustrating for his family with constant delays.
Advocacy group Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) intervened after the man’s employer asked it for assistance in getting the matter resolved.
“WMACA advocacy team travelled to Tsonga to the court‚ to find out what was causing the delays.
“Thereafter WMACA Director Miranda Friedman communicated with advocate Pierre Smith of the Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Department of the [National Prosecuting Authority] detailing the unacceptable delays in this case‚ which eventually resulted in the allocation of Ms Monica Nyuswa from the NPA to monitor the case.
“From then onwards the case progressed rapidly with minimal delays which resulted in his conviction last month‚” the organisation said in a statement.
On Tuesday‚ however‚ the man’s frustration surfaced again when Hlahla’s sentencing proceedings were postponed.
“Many‚ many times I’m not working and going to court but nothing happens‚” he said.
Nyuswa said the case was postponed because the probation officer’s report was not ready.
The man will send his wife to court at the next appearance on Thursday because he must go to work‚ he said.
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