Issued by: Office of the Presidency
9 November 2001
Attacks on children including the rape and abuse of children and infants have received extensive coverage in the media in the last week. Government has reacted with horror to these reports. The Deputy President in an answer to a question in Parliament on Wednesday this week indicated that he "noted with shock and disbelief the recently reported and horrific cases of rape and sexual abuse of young children and infants". The nation has been horrified by these events, most notably the rape allegedly by six men, of a nine-month-old baby in the Northern Cape.
These deeds must be emphatically denounced by society and dealt with through application of the full force of the law. The families, who will be burdened by the effects of these crimes for years, should be given extensive support.
The law is taking its course and the police and prosecuting authorities who acted swiftly and decisively in apprehending and bringing to court the alleged perpetrators in this and other most serious cases deserve to be commended.
Quite apart from the support and sympathy that should be shown to the families and loved ones of these innocent victims of such appalling crime, there is a need for our entire society to act together so that we prevent this abuse from ever taking place and we deal resolutely with root causes of such horrendous behaviour. Government, together with peace loving people should work together to seek durable and effective solutions so that we shall build strong, caring and law-abiding communities in our democratic South Africa.
Contact:
Louis du Plooy 012 337 5230 / 082 575 3985