Prominance S Khumalo
“I’m deeply disturbed by my grandson’s actions, and I’ve been worried about him for a long time,” said the grandmother of the 27-year-old man accused of raping a 101-year-old community member.
“I noticed something was wrong with him as early as grade 8, when he started raping my chickens. I couldn’t understand how a normal person could do such a thing.”
The grandmother, a religious leader, said she tried to pray for her grandson, but nothing seemed to help. “My grandson grew up in church, but I’ve come to realize that a pastor’s child doesn’t always follow in their parent’s footsteps.”
She described her grandson as a helpful and well-behaved child, but said that when he smokes marijuana or drinks, “he becomes something else.” Now, she’s pleading with the government to have her grandson’s mental state evaluated, as she believes he needs psychological help. “Prayers are not working, and I don’t know what else to do.”
The grandmother acknowledged that she raised her grandson well, but is at a loss as to what went wrong. “He started mixing with the wrong company at school, smoking and bunking classes, and eventually dropped out. I’m ashamed of what he’s done, and I hope he learns a lesson in jail.”
She expressed hope that her grandson will change his ways while incarcerated. “I want him to get help and become a better person. What he did is shameful, and I don’t want to lie about it.”
The accused appeared in court on Thursday, August 8th, but his case was postponed to August 15th due to his lawyer’s absence.