The mother of a schoolgirl, who was raped more than three years ago by a Gugulethu evangelical bishop, is still reeling from the trauma of the incident, and says the entire ordeal has left her having panic attacks. 

She was speaking to News24 after yet another delay in the sentencing proceedings of Luvuyo Gerald Hendrik, who was known to the family at the time of the incident. She was 15-years-old at the time.

He is well-known in Gugulethu, and his case was postponed on Thursday because his attorney needed more time to prepare his arguments in mitigation of sentencing. 

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The girl’s mother, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her daughter, told News24 the stress of having to attend court while worrying about her daughter has led to her having panic attacks.

“My child, she’s not living a normal life anymore. I get a panic attacks if she takes long at the shop. He did a lot of damage. I don’t trust anyone around her.”

Trauma

The mother said her daughter is still suffering with the trauma, which continues to take its toll.

“That rape that happened to my child, I take it as if it happened to me. I took her for counselling to build her self-esteem again… at first she didn’t want to go [out] anywhere. She just stayed in the house, but now I’m telling her that it was not her fault.

“I wish the [magistrate] can give this guy a harsh sentence, so that other people out there who are still doing this can see this is not child’s play; that when you rape somebody you pay the price.”

The mother said she wants closure. 

The matter was postponed to 21 April, so Hendrik’s legal team could adequately prepare for argument in mitigation of sentence.

Hendrik, who drove the teen to and from school, was convicted in December 2019, more than three years after he was caught in the act by police.