Mpumalanga police probe rape of girl (6)
Authorities in Mpumalanga are investigating the rape of a six-year-old girl at a primary school in Mbombela.
The probe comes amid reports that the girl was raped by an 11-year-old fellow pupil at the school.
Police spokesperson Mtsholi Bhembe says the details are still sketchy and investigations are under way.
Bhembe says a social workers has been assigned to the victim and is trying to determine the exact circumstances around the incident.
"Since last week Friday the mother and the victim went for consultation with the forensic social workers and also this (Monday) afternoon. I'm confident to say that we are making a progress with regards to getting the child prepared to give a statement. We are certain that in due course we will have a statement that is going to give us some direction.”
Bhembhe could not confirm whether the accused is an 11-year-old boy, saying the investigation is at a sensitive stage.
"I don't want to pre-empt this thing of an 11-year-old. Like I said, we have not had a formal statement from the victim so all that is just hear-say. For now we are working from zero officially speaking, as soon as the child is able to give us some information we'll then know who to look to."
The education department’s spokesperson, Jasper Zwane, says officials visited the school on Monday and are conducting their own investigation.
"We condemn the incident, though it's not clear where it happened and we will continue to monitor it very closely."