A mother broke down as she recalled the pain she felt when
she learned that her husband of 29 years had fathered her daughter's five
children.
Her worst fears were confirmed two weeks ago when DNA
results revealed that her husband fathered all her grandchildren.
The Tembisa, East Rand, resident said her life was turned
upside down in April last year when she discovered that her husband had been
raping her daughter.
This was after she was called by her grandchildren's school
to account why the kids did not have decent uniforms.
"The children's teachers called me to school because
they had torn shoes and old clothes. They asked me about the children's father
and I told them that I did not know him.
"My daughter became aggressive every time I asked her
who fathered the children."
She said though her 35-year-old daughter had never
beenproperly diagnosed, she has had learning difficulties, hearing and speech
problems all her life and she dropped out of school in grade 3.
The mother said teachers referred her to social workers,
who asked her daughter about the children's father and she told them that it
was her father. The social workers then referred the matter to the police.
"That's when I got to know that my husband had been sleeping with my
daughter all these years," she wept.
The mother said social workers then referred the matter to
the police. Thereafter paternity tests were done and the results were sent to
the police two weeks ago to form part of their evidence.
Tembisa police spokesperson Cap Manyadza Ralidzhivha said
DNA results confirmed that the stepfather fathered all five children.
They confirmed that the children - who were born in 2003,
2006, 2010, 2014 and 2017 - were fathered by the woman's husband.
"I felt like I was losing my mind. I had so much anger
in me and at times I felt like I could hit him with something.
"My heart was sore. I confronted him about the results
and he admitted that it was him. He said he would invest money for the children
and build them a house. It made no difference to me, the damage was already
done," said the emotional mother.
When Sowetan spoke to the the kids' mom, she said her
stepfather threatened to kill her should she tell anyone.
"He said he would kill me. He did it when my mother
went to church [services] and night prayers. One time he found me in the room
ironing; he came in and closed the door," she recalled.
"He took his clothes off and blocked me when I wanted
to leave the room. He then took off my clothes and 'did it'. The other time I
screamed and the neighbour heard me. She asked me what was happening and I did
not tell her. I was afraid of him," she said.
The 59-year-old man was arrested and charged with rape. The
man is expected to appear in court next week. Sowetan
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