A mother and father have been arrested in Bloubergstrand for allegedly sexually abusing their daughters, aged three and eight.

They were taken into custody on Tuesday, on charges including rape, sexual grooming, and producing child sexual abuse material.

“The SAPS has arrested a 47-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man in Bloubergstrand, for the alleged sexual abuse of their two daughters, aged three and eight,” confirmed Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Van Wyk, national SAPS spokesperson.

Their arrest follows the joint investigative efforts of South African and international policing agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations.

National SAPS spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Van Wyk, said the suspects were located at a residence identified through these coordinated intelligence efforts.

The children were rescued and placed in safety, as an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

“Several electronic devices were seized during the arrest,” said Van Wyk.

Lucinda Evans, well-known activist and director of Philisa Abafazi Bethu, condemned the case in the strongest terms.

She said she was appalled by the case, but not surprised, highlighting that incidents like this are not isolated.

“As an activist, I keep on saying that we should have 365 days for children. I don’t think we are paying, as a country, and as communities, much attention to this, that it is lucrative,” said Evans.

Evans said South Africa appears to be a growing target for the child pornography underworld.

“This is even deeper than just a couple from Blouberg that were pawning their children out, that I could even make a bold statement and say, the children were sex slaves to the dark underworld of what goes on the internet,” said Evans.

She called for the harshest penalties, including life imprisonment and no bail for the perpetrators.

Evans further urged communities to be more vigilant, condemning the silence and inaction that often follow suspicions of abuse.

She called on citizens to make use of the resources available to them to report suspicious abuse, such as the SAPS’ Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, which she noted has a “fiduciary child protection mandate”.

She said those in the Western Cape can also contact the provincial Social Development Department’s 24-hour line (082 227 0478).

“I don’t even want to think about the amount of suffering these children have gone through. It’s gonna be a lifelong journey for these two children, just in terms of therapy. So as communities, we need to act, and we need to know better, and we need to do better when it comes to children,” Evans concluded.

This article has been updated to include additional information.