Charges filed against couple in disturbing assault of disabled boy in Macassar, activists demand action against his mother
Community activists are demanding the boys mommy must also face the law
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers
The woman seen in a widely shared and deeply disturbing video showing the assault of a physically and intellectually disabled boy in Macassar have now been charged with assault.
Weekend Argus reported last week on the viral footage, which sparked national outrage after it showed the boy being smacked in the face by a man inside a residential property. The publication can now confirm that the woman, aged 60, who is heard encouraging the man to throw the boy out, has since been arrested and charged.
Police spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwalaconfirmed that Khayelitsha FCS detectives are investigating a case of sssault and child neglect. She said no arrest have yet been made.
While public attention has largely focused on the accused, community activists have also raised serious concerns about the circumstances surrounding the boy’s care and the alleged failure of his mother to protect him and his two younger siblings.
A community activist in Macassar, who is familiar with the family and requested anonymity, told Weekend Argus that she believes the boy’s mother should also be investigated for child neglect.
“The boy is well known in the area, (almal ken hom),” the activist said. “He is physically and mentally disabled. He has one shorter leg, walks on his toes, cannot speak, and is often seen pushing a tyre wherever he goes.”
According to the activist, the elderly woman seen recording the video had previously allowed the boy onto her property, but tensions escalated when his behaviour became increasingly aggressive, particularly on days when he allegedly did not receive his medication.
“He would vandalise her home, and this was raised with his mother over and over again, but nothing was done,” she said.
The activist added that she and the elderly woman had contacted social welfare services prior to the incident to report concerns about the children’s living conditions and the mother’s alleged lack of supervision.
“It became so bad that the woman had to lock her gate,” she said. “On the day of the incident, the gate was open because her son had gone to the shop. The boy entered the house and began damaging her belongings. When she tried to stop him, he became aggressive, and her brother rushed in after hearing the commotion.”
She stressed that while the assault was unacceptable and must be dealt with by the law, broader questions needed to be asked.
“I am not saying hitting him is right it absolutely is not,” she said. “But where was the mother? When community members went looking for her on payday, she was nowhere to be found and only returned later that night.”
The activist said she would continue to pursue accountability for what she described as prolonged neglect affecting all three children.
Community and human rights activist Zona Morton echoed these concerns, saying the incident highlighted a wider failure to prioritise children’s rights in South Africa.
“There is too little focus on children’s rights in this country,” Morton said.
“The right to be safe, protected, clothed, nurtured and loved has become a luxury. Why is there no urgency in holding parents accountable?”
She questioned the effectiveness of current interventions, adding that merely placing children in temporary safety was not a deterrent.
“We now have a mother blaming whistleblowers for her situation instead of taking responsibility for her failure to care for her children,” Morton said.
“I call for urgent action and a full review of the child grant system, particularly disability grants involving minors. Should government not ensure that these vulnerable children are cared for with the utmost dignity?”
The department of Social Development last week confirmed all three of the children has been placed in temporary alternative safe care.