Acts of violence against children are fast becoming a frequent occurrence in the village of Mgababa in Ngqushwa in the Eastern Cape.
A week after the community was shocked to discover an eight-year-old boy had allegedly been chained inside his home and raped by his own father, a small girl has been raped and left for dead.
On Sunday, the community policing forum was summoned to the home of a five-year-old girl who had allegedly been lured out of her home and raped by two men.
On Sunday the little girl's family was hosting an intimate traditional ceremony known as "ibhekile yekhaya" which was attended by a few community members.
With the adults busy and the children playing outside, a man who had attended the ceremony allegedly lured the little girl away from her home without being noticed.
According to community leader Nobulali Fulani, the suspect allegedly called his friend who lives in the neighbouring village of Prudhoe to join him in this gruesome act.
"The suspect told us he took the child to a river that separates the two villages. They then took turns raping the little girl.
"He further told us that they drowned her in the river before leaving her in the nearby bushes, thinking she had died," Fulani told Scrolla.Africa.
However, the five-year-old regained consciousness and somehow managed to find her own way home.
"While the family was still worried, the little girl walked in and was in a horrible state. The family then summoned us as the CPF. She was able to tell us who had taken her," Fulani said.
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The community forum did not waste time in finding the perpetrators.
"The suspects live in Prudhoe. We were able to contact the community forum in that village. They caught them just before we arrived."
Fulani added that the suspects confessed to raping the little girl and disposing of her in the bushes by the river.
They have since been arrested and are expected to appear in the Ngqushwa Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
On Monday the communities of Prudhoe and Mgababa met to devise strategies on how to deal with the growing cases of violence against children.
"Our first point of priority is to come together to find the root of the problem and to rid our communities of such individuals. The second point is to find a way to counsel our children not to make fun of the victims in schools even though it will not be easy," said Fulani.
Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu has confirmed that two suspects aged 21 and 38 have been arrested for rape.
"The Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit in Peddie are investigating cases of rape, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and abduction." Naidu confirmed.
