Mother, attorney ‘forced minor daughters into prostitution’

A 38-year-old Gauteng mother accused of forcing her minor daughters into prostitution made a brief appearance at the Johannesburg high court sitting in Palm Ridge, for what was supposed to be the start of her trial, but the case was postponed due to the unavailability of an Afrikaans interpreter. 

The woman appeared along with her co-accused, a 35-year-old attorney who is alleged to have "bought" one of the minor girls and raped her repeatedly.

The biological mother is accused of forcing her minor daughters into rape by men in exchange for money before their 13th birthdays. 

On Tuesday, the duo appeared in court, but their case was postponed for an Afrikaans interpreter. This was after it emerged the interpreter couldn’t interpret some of the technical clauses in the indictment into Afrikaans.

The mother cannot be named to protect the identities of her minor daughters, and the attorney may be named only once he has pleaded.

The matter stood down until Wednesday, with the continuation of the reading of the indictment.

According to the court papers, the mother, who is behind bars, allegedly forced her firstborn daughter to be raped on a daily basis by several men at various guesthouses around Boksburg, Brakpan, Heidelberg, Springs, Villiers, Amanzimtoti and Ramsgate.

She is accused of advertising her daughter on internet sites such as Sex Trader and Red Velvet. 

Her firstborn daughter was 12, and about to turn 13, at the time of the commission of the crimes. The mother allegedly arranged for sexually suggestive and explicit photos and videos to be recorded and also took photos and videos of her daughter.

The state alleges that the daughter sometimes had to participate with the mother in sexual activities with the same client. “Bookings were made for plus minus nine to 10 clients a day. Accused one [the mother] retained all the money that the clients would pay in exchange to [rape the daughter],” read the indictment. 

The daughter “was also forced to have double bookings” with her sister, who was 11-12 years old.

“Naked images and videos [of her firstborn daughter] were also sold by [the mother] to several unknown clients.

“When the victim refused to participate [the mother] would assault and verbally abuse her,” reads the indictment.

It was in September 2022 when the attorney, who is accused two in the case, allegedly made his first booking with the mother to rape the firstborn daughter who was aged 12-13 at the time. 

In the following months, he allegedly made several bookings with the mother to rape the victim. 

In December 2022, the indictment states he approached the mother to "buy" the victim from her and they agreed to an amount of R160,000. At the time, the attorney allegedly made a down payment of R24,000 to the mother and also handed over a vehicle for her use.

He allegedly raped the child on a daily basis, either at a guesthouse or at the mother's apartment in Heidelberg.

When the victim refused to participate, he allegedly pointed his firearm at her and threatened her.

“During the day, the victim would be kept in a locked room without any food, water or a cellphone."

On occasion, she was let out to clean his office. 

“During the period of December 2022 until February 2023, he would move the victim between several guesthouses in various towns, including Heidelberg, Villiers and Amanzimtoti.”

On one occasion, he recorded himself on a cellular handset while raping the victim, reads the indictment. 

The mother is also accused of making bookings for her other daughter with unknown men in exchange for money. She was 11 or 12 at the time.

Both accused are charged with several counts of trafficking in people, rape, conduct facilitating trafficking in people, conspiracy to commit sexual acts, using children for, or benefiting from, child pornography, and selling child pornography, among other charges. 

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