Former resident speaks out against Don Mattera Centre
"I couldn't justify running away and having to sell my body to survive."
Following the recent publication of allegations against Don Mattera Child and Youth Care Centre in Edenvale, a former resident of the centre has come forward.
Story by Stephan Lehman
Mariska de Winnaar (20) was a resident of the centre for five years.
De Winnaar echoed the recent allegations of sodomisation, rape, underage sex and mismanagement at the centre.
Last week the NEWS reported on allegations that were made by the Democratic Alliance and an employee from the centre.
Also read: EXCLUSIVE: Concerned staff member also alleges ‘sodomy and sexual misconduct’ at Don Mattera centre
De Winnaar raised additional allegations – of children receiving rotten food and food meant for animals, inadequate medical facilities, children not being taken to hospital for treatment, and children only attending school for two hours a day while at Don Mattera.
She left the centre in 2016.
“Don Mattera needs to be closed down. It is not a place of safety,” de Winnaar told the NEWS.
“When there was a fight among the children, the care workers didn’t stop it. They only intervened when there was blood. It felt like the staff at the centre didn’t care about the children.
“There was only one care worker who really cared about everyone there. All the others had favourites.”
Also read: WATCH: Sodomy, underage sex and more added to list of allegations against Don Mattera Child and Youth Centre in Edenvale
De Winnaar claimed that children received rotten food at mealtimes and sour milk.
“One time they gave us weird meat. When we asked the care worker what it was, she said it was pet mince. Even the milk we were given tasted weird and smelt sour.”
If a child had a food allergy, de Winnaar said no alternative meals were provided and the child had to eat the meal.
“While I was there I was aware of boys being sodomised by older boys, girls were raped by other girls and the children were having sex with each other.
“On one occasion a 12-year-old boy came to me seeking assistance,” de Winnaar said. “He told me that he was scared to go to the boys’ dormitory because he was being sodomised. I told him I couldn’t do anything to help him because I too was just a child. A group of six boys would take turns raping a younger boy.”
She said the girls were no better off.
“If you didn’t listen to the older girls they would either beat you or rape you,” said de Winnaar.
Also read: ‘Allegations against Don Mattera centre false and ill-motivated’ – Department of Social Development
“The older girls would use foreign objects, like a roll-on deodorant bottle, to rape a younger girl.”
Although de Winnaar was not raped she said it was difficult to sleep at night.
“You were always worried something would happen to you.”
Because some of the children at Don Mattera were in relationships with each other, de Winnaar said underage sex did occur while she was there.
“Sometimes the boyfriends and girlfriends had sex on the sports grounds and at other times in the dormitories. When we watched a movie the boys would sneak into the girls’ dormitory and wait there for the girls to come back and the couples would have sex. They would then give other residents sweets to buy their silence.”
She said that when children did report the sexual misconduct, nothing would be done to address it.
Medical care
De Winnaar said even when a child was sick or needed to go to hospital, they were not taken.
“If you asked to go to the doctor, the care workers would tell you to ask your family. I experienced this while I was at Don Mattera. I had stomach cramps and asked to go to the hospital but the staff wouldn’t take me.”
Eight months later de Winnaar learned that she had cysts on her ovaries.
According to de Winnaar, the clinic on the property could not provide adequate services to the children.
She further alleged that during the five years that she was at the centre, a number of girls “ran away”.
She said the children who ran away were often couples and would use an open stormwater drain to escape.
Also read: Edenvale child and youth centre accused of mismanagement
“The boyfriends would tell the girls that they were escaping to have a better life. Many of the girls who escaped would prostitute themselves in Alexandra.”
On one occasion de Winnaar was asked to escape with another girl.
“I couldn’t justify running away and having to sell my body to survive. Another method of escape used by the children was trying to escape in large groups. Because there were so many children trying to escape at once, some would get caught and others managed to get away.”
De Winnaar said children who were brought back to the centre by their parents often received much stricter treatment.
Because of children running away the children were often locked indoors.
“After our two hours of school each day, we were taken back to the buildings and kept inside.”
After leaving the centre, de Winnaar lived with her family, in a shelter in Brakpan and on the streets.
She has since been taken in by a local family who treats her as one of their own.
Editing and packaging: Marietta Lombard and Charmaine Slater.
