DAANTJIE – In a shocking incident, a 55-year-old woman has allegedly been raped repetitively by her mentally disabled 23-year-old son for quite a while now.
She is now three months pregnant with his child. “He started raping me ever since my husband died three years ago, but I could not get him arrested because he was my only son. He is the only person I call my family,” said Ms Sarah Lekhobo.
Initially her son asked to share her bed a month after the burial of his father. Lekhobo thought sharing a bed with him wasn’t a big deal and didn’t once think her son would harm her, hence they slept together to comfort each other while still in mourning.
“We slept together for some time. I felt comforted. I expected nothing but protection from him,” she added. Things took a turn for the worse when he started touching and holding her tightly, and calling her pet names. Surprisingly, she thought it was just a mother-and-child love, yet there was more to it.
“On the first night my son raped me, he made strange comments about my body, he then asked me to kiss him. I then kissed him on the forehead. He said that was not enough and said, ‘Let me show you how to do it, Mummy’.
My son then forced himself on me and when I yelled for him to stop, he continued and kept on saying, ‘I am occupying my father’s space’,” she emotionally explained.
Lekhobo alleged that after fighting him, her son threatened to leave her alone in the house. She then said she would allow him to have his way because she could not lose her only son.
When asked how she could allow such a thing, the mother said she was powerless and suffered from back pains, therefore she failed to fight for herself. When asked why she could not report the matter, Lekhobo said, “He is my only son and I could not report him”.
She emphasised that she would not lay charges against him because he would suffer and she couldn’t bear to see him behind bars.
According to Ms Zethu Makhubo, a neighbour and traditional healer, late last year the community members tried to intervene after learning what was going on between them, but people were apparently stopped by the mother who told them her son only acted in such a manner due to his mental illness.
“I am pregnant now and I do not know what to do, but because I only have one son, I think I will have to save the baby so that we can grow the family,” Lekhobo said.
Other community members said they would not get involved because they had tried to help out, but the mother refused help and kept siding with her son.
Mpumalanga News also learnt of a similar romantic affair between mother and son was apparently happening in KaNyamazane. It was alleged the two publicly showed their undying love for each other.
“When the community members talk, the mother warns them (community) to mind their own business and leave her and her son alone.” It is further alleged that the son is so jealous and protective of his mom/lover, he doesn’t want to see her hanging around with other men.
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