The alleged murder of six-year-old Desney Struis has sparked fresh concern about child-on-child sexual abuse in South Africa.

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with her murder after her body was found near a river outside Ceres in the Western Cape.

Desney disappeared from Visgat farm near Witzenberg earlier in July.

She was reportedly last seen playing in the sand with the teenage suspect before her mother returned from work and realised she was missing.

Community members began searching for her and later found her body near a river.

Authorities believe she may have been sexually assaulted and possibly strangled.

Police said Prince Alfred Hamlet SAPS opened a murder case following the incident at a farm on 7 July.

The teenager was arrested and appeared in court. The matter was later transferred to the Ceres Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for further investigation.

Police said they could not release more information because of the sensitive nature of the case.

Experts warn about child-on-child abuse

The case has placed child-on-child sexual abuse and the impact of trauma on young people under the spotlight.

Dr Shaheda Omar, director of the Teddy Bear Foundation, said the organisation had recorded an increase in child-on-child sexual abuse cases since 2019.

Omar said children accused of sexual offences had often been exposed to abuse themselves.

Her research focused on boys aged 12 and younger who had sexually abused other children.

The study found that 96% of the children examined were between nine and 12 years old.

The research called for a better understanding of what drives this behaviour to improve prevention, assessment and rehabilitation.

Calls for earlier intervention

Children’s rights activist Zona Morton said children in the Western Cape are regularly exposed to violence, including domestic conflict and gang-related killings.

She called for urgent early intervention to protect children from the long-term effects of trauma.

Ilitha Labantu spokesperson Siya Monakali said cases involving children accused of serious violent crimes should force society to question whether support systems are identifying vulnerable children early enough.

The case has raised difficult questions about how South Africa protects children from abuse while supporting young people who may already be carrying severe trauma.