Gender-based violence: Limpopo rocked by spate of attacks

Limpopo is fast becoming a dangerous place for women and children to live because of the escalating number of gender-based violence (GBV) cases reported in recent weeks.

Gender-based violence in Limpopo

This after a spate of rape incidents and murders of women and children were reported in the Mopani and Vhembe regions.

An 11-year-old child was allegedly hacked to death with a crowbar by her uncle on Tuesday night. Preliminary police investigations revealed that the child was killed during a scuffle between his uncle and his wife.

The incident apparently took place on Tuesday night in Namakgale’s Mandela Section in Phalaborwa.

Last week, a 58-year-old man allegedly raped a 13-year-old girl and hacked her to death with a panga. The apparently deranged man had earlier allegedly attacked his mother-in-law with the same panga and left her fighting for her life.

Police investigations revealed the man allegedly had marital problems with his wife, who escaped their marital home. The incident took place on Monday in Joppie Village in the Nwamitwa area.

A fortnight ago, a 42-year-old woman had allegedly locked her 13-year-old son in a hut they lived in and assaulted him. The incident took place in Venda, near Thohoyandou.

Concern for communities

The incidents have sent out shock waves, with government officials pleading with everyone to help stop the attacks.

The Limpopo department of social development has since sent a team of social workers to Namakgale’s Mandela village to provide psychosocial support to the family of a murdered boy.

The boy, seven, was reportedly with his grandmother when his uncle allegedly attacked him with a crowbar.

The woman sustained injuries as she was trying to protect the boy.

MEC for social development, Nkakareng Rakgoale, said she was concerned about the murders.

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