By Ndivhuwo Mukwevho
A 16-year-old boy, Emmanuel Singo (not his real name), who suffers from autism spectrum disorder, has opened a case of rape at Thohoyandou police station against two men he alleges raped him several times since the beginning of this year.
But despite Emmanuel having named and pointed out the two alleged perpetrators, his family has been told that no arrests or questioning can take place because he cannot remember the exact dates on which the rapes took place.
Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain that can lead sufferers to behave, communicate, interact and learn in ways that are different from most other people.
Emmanuel, from Ngovhela village near Thohoyandou in Limpopo, says the assaults took place whenever he was sent to buy bread or airtime at a local spaza shop.
He alleges that the perpetrators, who usually hung around outside the shop, used to follow him and take him to nearby bushes where they took turns raping him.
The two men threatened Emmanuel and told him that if he told anyone, they would kill him. His family only learnt about his ordeal on Saturday when he refused to be sent to the spaza shop.
Emmanuel lost his mother when he was a toddler and has been raised by his maternal grandmother, Joyce Sithole (not her real name).
Sithole told Scrolla.Africa she is still struggling to process and understand her grandson’s claims.
“What he told me has traumatised me and it will take some time for me to make peace with it,” Sithole said. “But what is bothering me is that they [the police] have told us there is not much they can do as my grandson cannot remember the exact dates on which he was raped.”
Sithole said Emmanuel was not offered any counselling as the police said a psychologist would only be available when she returns from leave on 11 March.
“At the moment he (Emmanuel) is traumatised and in fear as he does not even want to go to school, saying he fears that the perpetrators might follow him to school and rape him again. I just wish that the police could do something, even if it is to ask the perpetrators questions,” Sithole said.
Emmanuel is a learner at Grace and Love Special School in Tshilapfene, Limpopo, where he is learning gardening and welding.
Thohoyandou police spokesperson Sergeant Vuledzani Dathi could not provide any updates on the case by the time of publication.
Pictured above: Thohoyandou police station.
Image source: Ndivhuwo Mukwevho
