Child Protection Week, that’s what we call it here in South Africa. If you want a hashtag, here it is: #CPW2025.
Looks like a car registration plate doesn’t it? That’s how insignificant it is. In this week 500 children will die and 120 will be raped. Those numbers are averages. But this week was slightly different, this week we saw Judge Nathan Erasmus deliver his verdict and the sentencing in one fell swoop.
He swept the trash into the correctional system for life. He wished that he could have given the death penalty; so did we.
I’m Tonya Khoury and despite the death threats from last week’s column from the volk, I’m here to scratch the surface of the news you did not want to read, so I did it for you.
I’ve watched every single broadcast of this trial and there is one thing that stands out even more than Kelly Smith’s disdain for the child of her womb, Judge Erasmus’ work. It towers over this trial. He is punctual, controlled, intelligent, emotionally intelligent (you don’t get those folk anymore), compassionate, just, fair with a dash of humour at appropriate moments.
Powder keg of word ammunition
Ready with a large powder-keg of word ammunition if things didn’t run exactly to the order he’d set. It’s been over a year since #GaytonMcKenzie broke the story. They got life … all of three of them. The one who bought Joshlin? That person is free to do with her whatever his sick mind chooses.
The other person who didn’t even enter the courts was #Ayanda, the local drug dealer who allegedly fronts the child trafficking in the area but don’t think this is finished. Erasmus still wants to deal with “state witness” and bare-faced liar ‘Rens’. Lourentia Lombaard is still to be judged.
It is rumoured that Kelly Smith – the mammal that birthed #Joshlin; I cannot call her a ‘mother’. Kelly wants to go to #Pollsmor. Why? And why are we even considering giving this creature anything she wants? Give her to the mothers of all the children that never get mentioned in Child Protection Week.
Here’s what else is happening in #CPW2025
“A general assistant is accused of sexually assaulting a Grade 2 pupil at Laerskool Dalmondeor in Johannesburg. The implicated staff member remains in custody…” This was the content carried on News 24.
What it should have read is: “Man who works at school, allegedly raped a seven year old pupil.” That might give us the same attention as #CweCwe hey? We use words like “sexual assault”; do you think that child knows the difference? I hate it when we use journalism to hide the ugly decay beneath the mask.
Want more? I’m sure you don’t but this is a reality we don’t call a genocide in this country: the body of missing Kutloano Shalaba was found. The mother and sangoma was arrested. He was two. He’d been missing since November. The mammal that birthed him sold him for R75k.
Fifteen months I’ve been watching Judge Erasmus and wishing he was my president, because, you see, when you truly, truly care for your children only good things follow. Fifteen months Joshlin has been missing, and God knows what that little girl has endured to date. We pray for you Ma se kind. We love you our poster girl of shame.
Right now, I can’t promise you that we’ll do better, but I can tell you: I won’t stop fighting your fight, and I am not alone. We don’t need one week of the year to protect a child, we need a nation of mothers that love. Are you out there mama?
Apartheid apologists
Now how on earth do I move from this story to the next? I don’t even want to write about the next story. This story hurt me as much as Joshlin. The Patriotic Alliance went to Israel to debunk the myth of Israeli apartheid, a genocide in Palestine and to get desalination plans that were being sold initially to Helen Zille when she made up #DayZero.
How do you justify saving one South Africa child and turning your back on 20 000 killed in less than two years? Well, there goes my vote. I hope your Israeli money keeps your belly full in this life unlike the forced famine in Palestine. #ApartheidApologists #GenocideDenialists #MyDisappointment. The #PatrioticAlliance.
And then the dangers of online dating in South Africa hit the spotlight. Two women have been killed this week; Olorato Mongale’s body was found hours after going on an online date. She was dumped in the streets of Lombardy East.
And then the next day another woman goes missing through online dating, Tshegofatso Mothobi. We pray you are returned safely, home dear sister.
Radio love for Darren Scott
Let’s take this home as I’m ready for the weekend and to quell the tears. #DarrenScott succumbed to cancer and passed on. My you rest in peace your radio love was felt by many. How do I cheer you up my nation?
There was the seal in Gordon’s Bay who took a trip to town, hung around a couple of bakkies for kicks and took a waddle up and down the drag, caused all sorts of chaos and brought big smiles when he was released back into the ocean. [He’s now made his way to the Simon’s Town Naval Base, see image.] May I please join him? I’m counting sleeps.
Around the world, I’m just going to say this: did you see Macron’s wife shove him in face while he was in the aircraft? Oh my word, what is that all about? Isn’t that against the law in France? Like treasonous? Like Marie Antoinette and all that? ‘Spose not.
That’s me, I’m signing off. I’m overloaded with puppy breath, which aided my recovery, and next week I have a guest. And that is going to be fun, so forgive me if I leave you to your own headlines until the week after!
I’m Tonya Khoury and thanks for scratching the surface with me and Acumen Media.
