Woman arrested in South Africa for allegedly selling her 14-year-old daughter and niece to two men

 A lady has been captured for purportedly selling her daughter and niece, both aged 14, to two men, aged 59 and 69, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

She purportedly sold the adolescents, who are from Lusikisiki Village in the Eastern Cape, to the men in Matsheketshe Village, Umkhomazi, outside Durban.

Authorities were made mindful of the episode after occupants saw the young ladies with the men.

"The act drew consternation from members of the community after noticing the two young girls staying with elder men," Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza said on Tuesday.

Police were investigating a case of abduction and rape, representative Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said.

"The girls were found to have been performing duties for these men, including washing, cooking and cleaning the houses," he said. 

 

"It is alleged that the girls were also sharing bedrooms with these men. Police arrested the mother [who sold the children to the men] and another 69-year-old man, while another man, aged 59, managed to escape," Khoza said.

She added one of the children affirmed she was raped.

Both the mother and 69-year-old showed up in the Scottburgh Magistrate's Court on Monday.

The case was delayed to Friday for the charged to make a formal bail application.

Khoza denounced the mother's supposed direct.

"This reflects how morals have undergone a radical decline to an extent that people could sell their children. We are baffled by this. We strongly believe that the rule of law, one of the basic tenets of our hard-fought democracy, must prevail." 

She said police ought to investigate every possibility in managing the case.

"We want to see justice in this case of children abuse and justice must be delivered without fear, favour or prejudice. We commend the police and social workers for their swift reaction in apprehending two suspects in this case. However, we want to urge our law enforcement agencies to track down the suspect who escaped right under their noses," she added.

The two teenagers were being sheltered in a young and childcare centre and are getting psycho-social help.