COMMENT

"My dad forgave my rapist!" - Daily Sun

The front page and lead story of SA's largest daily newspaper, May 15 2013

Daily Sun (May 15 2013)- IN terror, the young girl called to her gogo for help. She was being raped by her uncle. But the gogo, lying next to the girl in the same bed, did nothing. NOW THE FAMILY HAVE ACCEPTED R2 500 AND FORGIVEN THEIR DAUGHTER'S RAPIST!

The 12-year-old girl, from a kasi near Komatipoort in Mpumalanga, told Daily Sun she pleaded with him to stop. "Gogo heard me cry but did nothing to help me," she said. "My uncle told me he would beat me up if I told anyone. I didn't ­understand because my gogo was in the room. There is no secret."

She said she wanted the uncle to be locked up forever for destroying her life. The girl's father (66), who is a pastor, said he has forgiven the man and accepted the payment. "We're Christians and do not ­believe in punishing people who have already asked for forgiveness. This man has repented his sins," he said.

The girl's uncle (34) doesn't ­deny anything. He saw the parents on Saturday and offered to pay damages for the deed, which took place on 3 May. He was charged R2 500. "I know what I did was wrong," he said. "I don't know what got into me. I left my wife in our bed and went to my niece. I'm very sorry."

The child's mum (34) doesn't ­believe what her own daughter tells her. She told Daily Sun she noticed the child was bleeding from her private parts. "I asked her what was wrong with her and she told me my brother had raped her," she said. "My daughter should have told me earlier. I suspect she may have seduced her uncle. She always ­insisted on visiting him."

Police spokesman Sergeant Gerald Sedibe said cops can't do anything if the family does not act.

See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....

The Daily Sun is South Africa's largest daily newspaper with an average circulation of 330 000 and a readership of 5.7m (as per AMPS 2012ab). Its Facebook page can be accessed here. It can be followed on Twitter here. To find about advertising on the Daily Sun click here.

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