A second suspect was arrested on Monday in connection with last week’s gang-rape of a 19-year-old learner.
A second suspect was arrested on Monday in connection with last week’s gang-rape of a 19-year-old learner.
Investigations into the whereabouts of the remaining suspects are still continuing, according to Lt Colonel Kevin Seymour of the SAPS Grahamstown.
Meanwhile the bail application hearing of the first suspect was postponed to next Monday to allow his attorney to collect necessary information and documentation.
The Mary Waters High School scholar was gang-raped by six men in Fitchat Street near Scotts Farm at around midnight on Friday. She was admitted to hospital after sustaining injuries from the attack.
The principal of Mary Waters, Samuel Wessels, is disheartened by the crime. “Being a father myself, I would obviously never want this to happen to my child; this must be traumatic for her parents.”
Wessels describes the rape survivor, who is also a prefect at the school, as being like one of his own children. “She is such a likeable, wellmannered student.
I just don’t understand how people can do this.” Wessels says Mary Waters pupils are taught life orientation which focuses on sexual violence awareness.
“In addition to having a qualified psychologist teaching at the school, we get NGOs to help counsel and teach the learners about these issues.”
The school also works with psychology students from Rhodes University. The rape survivor has not returned to school yet and Wessels is concerned how this experience will affect her studies.
“It is going to take her a very long time to get over this and I don’t know how she is going to handle the June exams which we are already preparing for,” he said.
“We are however providing every support to the family during this very difficult time.” The scholar’s school friends also showed their encouragement when they accompanied her to the high court on Monday where a solidarity protest was held to demand that the accused be denied bail.
Wessels urged the community to stand together against these crimes. “The community is angry about what happened and it is time for them to unite.
We can’t allow this to keep happening. I also urge female students to travel in numbers when they walk the streets.”
One in Nine Campaign organiser and activist, Larissa Klazinga, said “The rape survivor is dealing with a lot at the moment and she needs the support of the community.”
Klazinga said the scholar could experience extreme trauma which could be worsened by the higher risk of the HIV transmission due to the increased number of perpetrators.
She added that her family would also require the support of the community at the bail application hearing next Monday.
