THE mother of a 2-year-old toddler wants justice for her child who was allegedly raped at a crèche in Ntshongweni. Picture: Supplied
Durban — A woman from Ntshongweni (Shongweni Dam), in Durban, whose 2-year-old child was allegedly raped at a crèche in the area, said she would leave no stone unturned in pursuit of justice for her daughter.
The mother (whose name is withheld) said what pains her the most is that the owner of the crèche did not seem to care when she confronted her after realising that the child had been raped.
Speaking to the Daily News, the dismayed mother said upon her return to collect her child, she found her (victim) sleeping on the couch but didn’t notice that something was wrong.
“I observed signs of distress when I got home after she had woken up. My baby looked frightened, each time I touched her legs as I was taking off the tight shorts she was wearing. While I was taking them off, I was confused as to why they had changed the dress and the underwear she wore when I dropped her off in the morning.
“I then discovered that her underwear, which was placed in her school bag with her dress, had a bodily fluid. I opened her legs and that’s when I realised my daughter had been raped.”
The mother said she enlisted the help of a neighbour to check on the child, confirming the suspicion of rape due to visible distress and evidence of bodily fluids.
The mother said she took the child to the police station to report the incident before heading to the nearest hospital.
“I am so hurt because the owner of the nursery, whom I informed about the situation, told me they had no idea what happened to the child. I am convinced she knows what happened at the crèche because we usually find our children with her husband when we pick them up at the after care.”
The mother said she wanted to confront the crèche owner’s husband but was told he had got a job offer in Johannesburg and left.
KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza, expressed her concern over the safety and well-being of children in crèches.
Khoza said the reported incident was deeply troubling, highlighting vulnerabilities within what should be a sanctuary for the children.
“We must ensure that such egregious acts are met with swift justice and that measures are in place to prevent their recurrence. We must ascertain whether the crèche in question complies with regulations aimed at safeguarding the welfare of children under their care,” she said.
She called on members of the public with any pertinent information to assist in the investigation.
The Daily News was reliably informed that there was another case of a child who was allegedly raped at the same crèche, last year.
The ward councillor, Luthando Bulelani Jali, said the angry community members decided to shut down the nursery school.
“This is a very disturbing incident which needs attention. I therefore have planned a meeting with the Department of Social Development officials to discuss the matter,” he said.
Vee Gani, chairperson of the Parents Association of KZN, called on law enforcement to probe the alleged rape case and arrest a suspect linked to the allegation.
The owner of the crèche, Delisile Maduna, told the Daily News she changed the clothes of the victim after realising her dress was dirty.
“The child’s dress was bound to get dirty because she had been playing outside with the other children.”
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