Police in the Eastern Cape have made a breakthrough in their probe into the case of a 16-year-old girl who had apparently been forced to marry a man.
The girl, who’s from a rural area near Engcobo, was rescued and taken to a place of safety.
Her rescue followed a stand-off between police and a community in Mpindweni. Some tried to prevent the girl from being taken away. Her parents were expected to meet with investigators on Wednesday.
Eastern Cape Police provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga said she understood people’s constitutional right to practice their culture and customs.
But, she said police were obliged to intervene when others’ rights – especially those of minors – were being infringed.