Cowdray Park residents attack Tomana over girl child remarks

Cowdray Park's  Garikai / Hlalani Kuhle residents have expressed concern over Prosecuter-General Johannes Tomana's remarks that 12 year old girls can consent to sex saying this is leading to an increasing moral decay in the society.

Tomana was two weeks ago quoted saying the children as young as 12 years must be listened to by courts if they which to start families with older man because they were capable of giving consent.

Speaking during a Constitutional Monitoring public meeting organised by a consortium comprising Christian Legal Society of Zimbabwe, Habakkuk Trust, Public Policy Institute of Zimbabwe and South Western Region Gender Network, disgruntled Cowdray Park residents said the government should reverse that move.

"We had a problem with these young kids before and it became worse just after it was published that 12year old children can consent to sex," Mvipa Bango said.

"We can't even control them anymore. They tell us they are old enough to give consent to sex. Most of them take advantage of the darkness and use these blair toilets to engage in sexual activities."

Cowdray Park newsstands has no electricity and water and most of the

Another community member, Nqobizitha Tshuma said they had problems with growing number of unemployed youths who spend most of their time roaming around the streets and who get entertainment only in sexual activities.

"There are more unemployed young people in this area. Girls are getting pregnant at a very young age. These past few weeks it has been worse, rape cases are no longer reported because these girls are given little gifts by their perpetrators."

Meanwhile, residents were also concerned about poor distribution of the constitution which makes most of them fail to know their rights as enshrined in the document.

"We are facing so many challenges this side, we have no water and electricity yet the constitution clearly states that everyone has a right food and water," said Mthabisi Moyo.

"The problem is most of us are not even aware of what the constitution says and we don't even know how we can get help."