Eldorado Park community rallies for justice in horrific child abuse case

Angry Eldorado community members who had marched to Protea Magistrate's Court ahead of the appearance of the man accused of assault, rape, and murder of his four-year-old daughter continued their chants, calling for justice for the little girl outside the court on Tuesday.

The man, who cannot be named due to strict conditions set out by the magistrate, appeared briefly in court, where his matter was postponed to Monday, August 18, for a formal bail application. His wife also appeared separately for her alleged failure to immediately report multiple incidents of child abuse to the authorities. 

According to police, the man was arrested after officers responded to reports of screams coming from a backyard shack. Inside the home, police discovered the young girl with severe head injuries, bruises, and a swollen eye.

This subsequently resulted in the child's death while she was recovering in hospital on Friday afternoon, just hours after the father made his first court appearance on charges of assault, GBH, and attempted murder.

Following the child's death, the court heard that the charge sheet had been amended to include murder, attempted murder, rape, child abuse, and assault "grievous bodily harm" (GBH).

According to the charge sheet, it is alleged that on August 6, the accused unlawfully and intentionally hit the four-year-old, causing severe bruises, while he is also alleged to have sexually penetrated the victim.

"The accused is guilty of murder. In that upon or about 06 August 2025, and at or near Eldorado Park, in the regional Division of Gauteng, the accused did unlawfully and intentionally knowingly hit her and the said accused did unlawfully and intentionally commit an act of sexual penetration with the complainant by inserting his penis/object into her vagina without the consent of the said complainant...

"The above-mentioned accused, that is the parent and/or guardian and/or caregiver and in whose care the said child was, unlawfully abused the said child, allowed the said child to be abused, in that he assaulted the child numerous times," the charge sheet states.

Outside the court, community members demanded justice for the 4-year-old child while also demanding that the government treat them with respect amid service delivery challenges, prevalent social issues, and drug abuse.

"We are saying Coloured lives matter. We are saying, we are tired of begging for service delivery. We are tired of talking and not being heard. We are tired of a police station that does not respond to us. We are saying, enough is enough. We are saying, we are no longer going to be marginalised as a community in this country... We are no longer going to be called crazy and that we participate in things that we should not be participating in," a community member said.

Responding to some of the reported challenges affecting the Eldorado community, Chairperson of the Gauteng Portfolio Committee on Public Safety in the Gauteng Legislature, Dr Bandile Masuku, revealed that the provincial government is worried about crime and drug abuse in communities.

"We are equally tired of izimbizos. That is why we must rally our communities to understand that women and children are the most important part of our society that need our protection. Part of the work that we do is to promote and create campaigns that deal with GBVF. What the committee has undertaken is that we have been evaluating the enforcement of the Domestic Violence Act as part of our focused intervention, where we go around to look at police stations to check if they are compliant with GBVF regulations," Masuku said.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, said the State will oppose bail against both the father and mother of the victim.

"Now that we know that the offences and the charges against the mother and the father are not intertwined, we have to separate the two matters, to ensure the mother appears alone. In the case against the father, the charge sheet was amended to reflect the five counts against him, with three additional charges.

"The mother, on the other hand, is facing a charge of failing to report incidents of sexual offence against a minor. Both matters have been postponed to the 18th of August, and both accused indicated that they want to apply for bail. We will be opposing such applications," she said.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za