An Atlantis man is being sued for R1 million for allegedly sexually abusing his niece when she was a child.
The victim, who asked not to be named, says her uncle would make her watch porn with him and watch him masturbate when she was as young as 12.
The Mitchells Plain woman, now 50 years old, says after keeping silent for many years, she opted to speak to a lawyer when she learnt her uncle was working as a school staff transport driver.
According to the summons issued by the Western Cape High Court, the sexual assaults date back to the 1980s when the accused worked for the victim’s father.
“I was about 12 and in Standard 5 (Grade 7) in the period between 1984 and 1985. He worked for my father and would do the deliveries. He would come to the house and make me watch porn with him and he would masturbate.”
In court papers, she alleges that he would lie her down on her parents’ bed and make her watch as he ejaculated while allegedly grooming her on how to masturbate.
She claims he rubbed her genitals while committing these acts.
“I told my parents but they never opened a criminal case. Years later he tried the same thing with a relative and I again told my parents.
“There were never criminal charges because I didn’t know how to go about it.
“It was only now when I heard that he is working as a school transport driver that I went to a lawyer. They advised me that if I go with a criminal case, I cannot name him and it is important that people know.”
According to the court papers, the victim suffered psychological trauma and struggled to trust others as an adult.
“This is not about the money for me. This is about exposing him.”
Daily Voice approached the suspect for comment but he declined, saying he was consulting his lawyers.
However, he told News24, that he would dispute the claims.
A date for the matter has not been set.
This article first appeared in the Daily Voice
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