An Alex man has been locked up by Alex police for allegedly keeping his children locked and captive for years.
It was reported by IOL that when the man had discovered that his son impregnated his sister, they had an argument which resulted in the son running away. He was then found by his father and brought back home where he was locked up in chains.
Police spokesperson Captain Kim Cloete said the man had been arrested for neglecting his children and that the children had since been taken to a place of safety. She would not disclose whether the man’s wife too had been picked up. Cloete would not be drawn into giving too many details, except to say she can confirm that a man has been arrested in connection with a child neglect case.
“We are not allowed to comment once a case has been to court. If you want any information you will have to approach the court,” she insisted.
According to witnesses, the man is alleged to have kept his children captive for years and denied them education and the opportunity to play with other children.
“The children lived virtually life prisoners in their own home. They were locked up and not allowed to leave the house nor mingle with other children in the neighbourhood,” a witness claimed.
Some of the residents at KwaNobuhle hostel said they knew since 2007 that something was amiss with the man and his wife and their children but never took action.
“After learning about this other man too who had kept his children captive, we decided to act and inform the police,” the residents claimed.
Neighbours claimed they occasionally saw the children – three boys and a girl – staring through the burglar bars. One of the children, a 25-year-old boy was said to have been kept in chains and had at one stage impregnated his sister but was not sure what happened to those children.
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