Police say unable to identify suspect yet in rape of Matatiele girl (7)

CAPE TOWN - Police said they have not yet been able to identify a suspect in the rape of a seven-year-old Matatiele child whose case has sparked public outrage.

Briefing Parliament’s police committee at a special meeting on Tuesday, the police’s top brass said the inability of a psychosocial worker to access the child is delaying the finalisation of the matter.

As parliamentarians expressed their dissatisfaction over the handling of the case, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu said it’s untrue that police only sprang into action once the case sparked nationwide protests.

Deputy Police Commissioner Tebello Mosikili said when a private doctor referred the girl to a Thuthuzela Care Centre in October 2024, the child received both medical and psychosocial support.

But police have on Tuesday acknowledged to Parliament that regular meetings with a social worker or psychologist should have continued to help identify a perpetrator.

“An additional appointment was then made for a forensic social worker to see the victim on the 9th of April 2025. The social worker could not get access to the victim as the mother indicated the child is sick.”

Mchunu said that if the child were to continue receiving psychological support, it could speed up the investigation.

“There’s still that difficulty of the family, the child, who, if she were to speak, would bring faster progress on the matter.”

Mosikili said a forensic social worker is awaiting a response from the girl’s mother about when an appointment can be scheduled.

Police said they have taken 30 statements from those who were close to the child at the time of the suspected assault.

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