LISTEN: 6-year-old severely beaten, allegedly by parents

The Mpumalanga couple was arrested last week after teachers and relatives alerted police of severe injuries on the child’s body.

A photo which shows the extent of the injuries, from his shoulders to his buttocks, has gone viral on social media.

The two are facing charges related to assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The Hashtag I Am movement against women and child abuse says the abuse has been ongoing.

“We are disappointed with what happened to the little child who was assaulted by his stepfather and his mother. It also came to our attention that this was not the first time this has happened, and it was never reported by any of the parents,” said the organisation’s chairperson Delani Thabethe.

He said the community is was not happy with the decision of the court, despite the strict bail conditions imposed on both accused.

The police confirmed that they are also investigating allegations that the boy was sexually assaulted.

“We are also investigating allegations that the boy’s 12-year-old step brother has been sexually assaulting him. So, there are two cases, one of assault GBH and another of sexual assault,” said police spokesperson Johannes Nhlabathi.

Both children have been placed in the safety of relatives, including the couples three-month-old baby.

The court ordered the couple not to visit or contact the caregivers of the children and not interfere with witnesses.

The case was postponed to November 14.