On Sunday, September 15, an 18-year-old girl’s life changed forever. Her innocence snatched away when she was raped by a traditional healer. A man who was a trusted member of the community.
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The incident took place in Section 1, Madadeni. A close friend of the family explains the perpetrator went to his victim’s home, where she lives with her grandmother.
Known to the family as a traditional healer, not much thought was given when he requested that the teenager and two other girls accompany him to his house.
Allegedly, he offered to perform a cleansing for the girls, as they were busy with school exams. The cleansing is allegedly to help avoid bad luck.
At his house, the suspect told two of the young girls to wait inside his house, while he took the other girl to his hut where he performed his healing.
Once in the hut, which is on the same property as his house, the traditional healer told the young girl to undress. This was so she could be given some water to bath, which is apparently a part of the cleansing session.
When he left the room, the girl quickly undressed so the cleansing could begin. It was then that the traditional healer returned to the room, stark naked.
According to the family friend, the suspect then proceeded to rape her, without using a condom. During the rape, he threatened her to remain silent and not scream for help.
After the rape, the girl went back inside the suspect’s house to fetch the other two girls. They swiftly returned to the victim’s grandmother’s house. At her grandmother’s house, she quickly told her mother about the rape.
The family friend was then contacted for help and he took the victim to the Madadeni SAPS and to the Thuthuzani Centre at Madadeni Hospital to be examined by a doctor.
With medical examinations confirming the teenager had been raped, a police case was opened and the Madadeni SAPS immediately sent officers out to apprehend the suspect.
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With the case now under investigations and the source thanks Constable ZRC Cele and her team from the Madadeni SAPS for their swift response.
Well done to the officers for taking the perpetrator into custody.
