A nationwide protest demands accountability for a seven-year-old’s rape case, highlighting systemic failures in GBV response.
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Nationwide peaceful protests under the hashtag #JusticeForCwecwe are taking place on Tuesday, April 1, as South Africans stand united in anger over the critical failures by authorities in probing the rape of the seven-year-old girl six months ago.
The peaceful protests will unite political parties, universities, civil society, and various organisations in a collective stand against systemic failures in addressing gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).
This comes after a seven-year-old girl, Cwecwe, was raped in October 2024 at Bergview College in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, while waiting for school transport. Despite her parents promptly reporting the incident, no arrests have been made to date, fuelling public outrage and demands for accountability.
The hashtag #JusticeForCwecwe has gained significant traction, with South Africans calling for action from law enforcement and the Department of Education.
IOL previously reported that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said three individuals, including the school principal, have been identified as suspects in the case.
“All outstanding statements have since been obtained by the investigating officer. DNA tests have also been conducted. The senior State Prosecutor will be consulted in the coming week, and the family will be provided feedback on the matter,” Mchunu said.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) has expressed its outrage over the handling of the case and condemned the South African Police Service (SAPS) for its slow response.
NUMSA spokesperson Phakamile Majola criticised SAPS, stating, "It is shocking that even though the child reported the incident to her mother, and she did so swiftly, no action has been taken, and to date, the investigation has not isolated a suspect. This shows how difficult it must be for ordinary citizens to be helped when facing similar conditions.
"In this instance, it seems the police have completely failed in their role, and for this, they must be strongly condemned."
NUMSA has also expressed deep concern over the alleged inaction of Bergview College in addressing the incident.
It is alleged that the school principal has been uncooperative with the police investigation and even attempted to have Cwecwe transferred out of the school shortly after the incident was reported.
"This is disgraceful! It suggests that there was an attempt by the school to cover up the crime," NUMSA said.
NUMSA's deputy president, Puleng Phaka, voiced the union’s concerns about the safety of children in educational institutions.
"It seems that women and children are not safe anywhere in South Africa. Even in school, a place where children are supposed to be safe, a little girl can be violated whilst waiting for transport.
''We need urgent intervention from SAPS on its investigation, and we demand that the school principal must cooperate with the police as a sign that he has nothing to hide. It is truly an indictment against us and our society that our children are permanent victims of violence and brutality."
In response to mounting pressure, the Eastern Cape Department of Education has issued a notice of its intention to deregister Bergview College as an independent school, citing its failure to uphold the safety of learners.
NUMSA has welcomed this development but insists that more must be done.
"The national Department of Education must embark on a national campaign to vet all school employees to ensure that those working at our schools do not have a history of criminal behavior and can guarantee the safety of our children," Majola said.
NUMSA has also called for stricter regulations on school employment screening.
"We need the department to compel all schools, including private schools, to ensure that anyone who is employed has been checked and that their names do not appear in the Sexual Offences Registry. These reports must be made public," Majola said.
She added that independent schools should not be exempt from taking every possible measure to ensure the safety of learners.
Beyond this case, NUMSA is demanding that the government take gender-based violence more seriously.
"We continue to have problems regarding the inadequate support services for survivors of gender-based violence. There are too few shelters and counselling centres, especially in rural areas, leaving survivors with nowhere to go for long-term recovery assistance," said Majola.
Additionally, NUMSA has highlighted the ongoing issue of police inadequacy in handling GBV cases.
"There is still a problem in addressing sexual violence in a manner that respects the dignity of the victim. These cases must be treated with a level of sensitivity and taken seriously.
''When a victim makes an allegation of rape, the police must make a visible effort to track down the perpetrator so that arrests can take place. Unfortunately, victims of GBV often report being re-victimised by dismissive or hostile members of the police services, and this seems to be the case with Cwecwe as well,'' she said.
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
IOL News
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