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The badly bruised and battered body of a 5-year-old girl was found in the lounge of her uncle's house in Pendu Street, Kwanonqubela in Alexandria during the early hours of yesterday morning.
According to police spokesperson, Col. Priscilla Naidu, the suspect, who is also the child's uncle, allegedly phoned the police at approximately 05:30, saying that someone is being assaulted in his house.
Upon arrival, detectives found the body of Siphenathi Xhali on the lounge floor. She had multiple wounds on her little body.
The suspect was very drunk and too incoherent to give an account of what had happened. Police suspect that she was killed with a spade that was later found in a neighbour's yard. It is also suspected that she was raped but a postmortem will be conducted to verify.
"The child was taken during the early hours of the morning from the neighbour’s house. It is alleged that the child’s mother had dropped her off at her father's house in the same area at about 14:00 on Friday. The father in turn left the child at the neighbour’s house," Naidu explained.
The 43-year-old suspect is detained on a charge of murder and is expected to appear in the Kenton-On-Sea Magistrate's Court early next week. Pending the results of the postmortem report, an additional charge of rape may be added.
Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt. Gen. Nomthetheleli Mene, has stated that the brutality of Gender-Based Violence is extremely concerning.
"It is alarming that communities fail to protect our children. Many are killed by the people they know, love and trust. These people are cruel and heartless and must be dealt with decisively, especially when it comes to women and children. Such a tragedy is extremely disturbing, especially when the country is commemorating 16 Days of No Violence against Women and Children. It is time that everyone unites to end this devastating social ill in our society," she said.
