Protesters wave scissors and demand rapist castration

[SplitDik (imported)]

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Afri ... 31,00.html

Castrate rapists, demand women

14/03/2006 20:03 - (SA)

Kulani Mavunda

Musina - A fed-up community has marched in protest in connection with a man appearing in court on charges of raping a 10-year-old girl.

The Musina local municipality gave the group permission to stage a march along the N1 highway in Limpopo and then submit their grievances to the local magistrate's court.

"Some of the women waved scissors to demand that rapists be castrated," said the municipality's Phumudzo Makharamedzha on Tuesday.

The suspect appeared in court on Friday in connection with the rape of a neighbour's daughter in Musina. The case was postponed to Monday, March 27, and the man is being kept in custody.

The protesters included members of South African Women in Dialogue (Sawid), African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL), People Opposed to Women Abuse (Powa), as well as children.

Sawid member Rina Ramushwana said she wanted to see the government taking a greater responsibility for protecting children, starting with heavier sentences.

"We see rapists moving about freely," she said. "They are supposed to be behind bars because that is where they belong."

Musina chief magistrate Errol Luiters accepted the list of grievances from the protesters and said: "Personally, as a father with a daughter, I know how it must be for you.

"All justice officials feel for you. I want to assure you that, from our side, we will do everything possible to do what you ask of us."