The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has not been officially deployed to Matatiele in the Eastern Cape to control a peaceful march soldiers were present in the area and provided support to the SA Police Service marchers took to the streets to demand justice following the alleged rape of a seven-year-old child known as Cwecwe Footage emerged of SANDF soldiers providing security along with members of the police The Economic Freedom Fighters Youth Command “vehemently” condemned the “shameful and unwarranted deployment of soldiers form the South African National Defence Force to the peaceful #JusticeForCwecwe march in Matatiele.” The Youth Command said in a statement “it is both appalling and unacceptable for the SANDF to be deployed to unarmed civilians seeking justice for the tragic rape of Cwecwe a seven year old child who was violated in a school in the Eastern Cape Province The Command accused the military of “being reduced to a militia used to intimidate and militarise a civil society protest.” the Economic Freedom Fighters pointed out that in terms of section 201(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa only the President may authorise the employment of the defence force in cooperation with the police service the President must inform Parliament promptly and in appropriate detail of the reasons for the employment of the defence force “Did the President formally communicate to Parliament his intention to deploy the SANDF to assist the SAPS in providing security at the protests for justice for Cwecwe?” the EFF asked the ANC Youth League Eastern Cape condemned the “unnecessary presence of private security and the SANDF at [a] peaceful march in Matatiele.” expressed “deep concern regarding the recent revelation of the employment of SANDF personnel during the #JusticeforCwecwe march in Matatiele.” The party said the use of armed defence force personnel in what is clearly a civilian protest raises alarm about the militarisation of public order policing “and the apparent disregard for constitutional safeguards The citizens have every right to protest peacefully without intimidation from soldiers.” The GOOD Party said it was “shocked” to see footage of the SANDF being deployed to Matatiele It said the primary responsibility of the National Defence Force is to address external threats to the nation and deployments to support police “should only occur in exceptional circumstances during critical moments that justify their use Previous examples of SANDF deployment within South Africa include responses to the COVID-19 hard lockdown Operation Prosper aimed at curbing illegal mining activities by zama zamas and related criminal activity as well as securing power stations.” The party added that South Africans have the right to protest and there were no indications that this march would be anything but peaceful “The Department of Defence owes the public a clear explanation regarding the legality and necessity of this deployment The GOOD Party demands transparency and accountability from those in charge of this decision.” National Assembly Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police clarified that SANDF soldiers were not in fact deployed “Only the president can order such a deployment,” he explained “SANDF members were travelling along [the] R56 near [a] garage where [the] SAPS had stopped the crowd passing The SANDF members had to stop there too and stood off at the gathering until the road was cleared for them to then continue travelling,” Cameron said experts believe the soldiers’ actions may have been illegal They were apparently being transported by bus from their home base to a border deployment base If they got off their bus to assist the police without official authorisation defenceWeb understands the decision by the SANDF to support the police during the march was taken by a local military commander using his discretion and that commander will be investigated for his actions Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence said it will urgently demand the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans verify the authenticity of the video showing the soldiers in Matatiele and provide an urgent report on the circumstances of the presence of the SANDF “While employment of members of the SANDF is a prerogative of the President and the Minister Section 18 (2) and (3) of the Defence Act stipulates that if the President or the Minister employs members of the SANDF internally as per Section 201 (2) of the Constitution hence the demand for an urgent report,” said Malusi Gigaba The committee’s concern emanates from the fact that the protest did not represent any extraordinary occurrence nor was there a threat to life “The report by the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of the SANDF must include reasons of the employment (if there was one) why Parliament was not informed and cost associated with the employment,” said Phiroane Phala “SAPS handles protest on a daily basis and they have the requisite skills and training to handle such situations The Co-Chairpersons are of the view that employment of the SANDF should always be under extraordinary circumstances especially considering the stretched budget the defence force is operating with,” they said in a statement The SANDF on Wednesday said there was no official deployment to Matatiele “We wish to state that the SANDF has members in the area on border safeguarding duties and nothing else We would like to express sincere regret regarding the incident where our soldiers were seen during the march against gender-based violence in Matatiele.” “The SANDF is a gender sensitive organisation and supports gender programmes We are cognisant of the unacceptable high levels of gender-based violence and the prevalence of violence against women and children and support any intervention by institutions and citizens aimed at dealing with violence against our women and children,” a statement attributed to Department of Defence Head of Communication Siphiwe Dlamini read the Eastern Cape Provincial Government reaffirmed its commitment to combating gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) across the province following recent incidents including the alleged rape of the seven-year-old girl at Bergview College in Matatiele and the recent judgment in the Timothy Omotoso case Televangelist Omotoso was acquitted in the Gqeberha High Court on 32 serious charges the Ministry of Police has deployed urgent and coordinated interventions These include intensified law enforcement efforts and the deployment of the South African Police Service specialised Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit to assist with the investigations the provincial government said Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane had reached out to the family to offer reassurance and reaffirm government’s commitment to pursuing justice He also reiterated that the Eastern Cape Provincial Government will continue to collaborate closely with law enforcement agencies and community structures to ensure that “no victim is left behind and no perpetrator escapes accountability” Editorial Enquiries: [email protected] Sales Enquiries: [email protected] Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio The Matatiele community has demanded justice after a boy and a girl were raped in two separate incidents at schools in the Eastern Cape town Police Minister Senzo Mchunu called for calm saying the police had heard the calls for justice in the “tragic violation of two minors in the Eastern Cape which occurred in two separate incidents in October and November last year” a seven-year-old boy was raped when he went to the toilet at another independent school in the area but a local women’s organisation said the suspect had been released because of lack of evidence “The ministry fully understands the concerns of the public and the urgency surrounding these cases,” said Mchunu Bergview College is a private school that is subsidised by the state she was transferred to another school hundreds of kilometres away The Holekane Women Support Organisation said the girl was not doing well and the incident had traumatised her mother Mchunu said three people were under investigation for the crime, including the school principal.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “All outstanding statements have since been obtained by the investigating officer The senior state prosecutor will be consulted in the course of the coming week whereafter the family will be provided with feedback on the matter.” said the principal was not a suspect and had no contact with the child “prior to the offence being committed” “AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit rejects with contempt any suggestion that the unit is protecting a suspected rapist from investigation principal of Bergview College in Matatiele “Pieterse is not a suspect in the rape case involving a learner at the school nor have the South African Police Service (SAPS) ever regarded him as a suspect that would justify their request for a buccal sample for DNA testing it is the unit’s understanding that Pieterse had no contact with the victim prior to the offence being committed nor is there any evidence that the offence took place on school grounds,” it said Read more: Girl raped in Eastern Cape school ‘house of horrors’ to receive R5m in damages in a letter to the Matatiele Police Station commander dated 17 February 2025 AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit made it abundantly clear that Pieterse will ‘cooperate with the SAPS and consider any request within the scope of the Criminal Procedure Act’ To request a buccal sample from someone who is not a suspect and without following procedure as per the applicable legislation is an abuse of process,” said AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit Read more: When protectors become predators — rising incidence of sexual violence against children in SA schools the unit noted that the victim’s mother is an employee of the SAPS and that ‘it is concerning that a complainant appears to be directing such a serious investigation which should be led by a Police Detective’s expert discretion and expertise’ “We must accept that the investigating officer applied the necessary discretion and expertise based on the evidence and concluded that Pieterse is not a suspect We must further accept that the seven-year-old victim is able to identify the rapist and provide details of the incident — yet “AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit challenges the SAPS to provide the evidence to support any suspicion that Pieterse is linked to the case.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “Notably, the unit told the police in correspondence that this abuse of process puts Pieterse in an untenable position in which agreeing to the request for a sample raises the suspicion that he is a suspect, and rejecting the request raises the same suspicion.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Daily Maverick sent questions to the school principal on the WhatsApp number provided by him asking whether all the school’s employees had been checked against the National Register for Sex Offenders who at the school had been asked to provide DNA samples and whether they had done so Further questions related to whether the school allowed the police access to all possible information about the incident saying it was not possible to discuss the issues at the moment The Eastern Education Department has taken the first step to deregister Bergview College Eastern Cape education spokesperson Mali Mtima said the school had been issued with a notice to deregister it as it was a condition of its licence that it provide learners with a safe and secure environment. He said the rape and the way the school handled the matter had violated this condition.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “A rape case was opened and to this date no progress was made,” said Mtima. “The delays are attributed to the school management,” he said. “The department is concerned with the conduct of the principal in relation to his apparent refusal to cooperate with the police.” The decision to deregister went into effect 24 hours after the letter was sent on Friday, 28 March, and Mtima said children would be moved to other schools next term. Social Development MEC Bukiwe Fanta urged anybody with information about the rape to come forward. “Your courage in speaking up can make a significant difference in ensuring that justice is served and that the perpetrator is held accountable,” she said. “We must work together as a community to create a safe environment for our children. Silence only enables the perpetrators of such crimes to consider their actions.” The deregistration follows protest action by the EFF and a call for the school’s closure by the Congress of South African Students. On Sunday, DC van Zyl, the chairperson of Bergview College’s board of trustees, wrote to parents that the school would approach the high court for an urgent interdict pending the review of the Eastern Cape Department of Education’s decision to deregister the school. He said a person who worked at the school had been placed on indefinite leave after being identified as one of four possible suspects and that the principal was not a suspect. DM ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Sections Home | South Africa The National Men’s Forum will lead what it calls a mass shutdown in Matatiele this weekend to demand accountability from law enforcement officials amid rising cases of violence This follows the reported rape of a seven- year old girl at a school in the area which has sparked outrage and led to marches in several provinces The First Deputy President of the National Men’s Forum “Our demand is that there should be conducive environment in Matatiele for the rape survivors to be able to report.” “If you remember that this case specifically has taken about five months to be taken notice of so it means to us that there is a delay in taking care of these cases that is the one thing that we need to do in Matatiele.” we want to make sure that men are involved in their numbers in Matatiele so that the voices of men can be heard in fighting gender based violence.” the police confirmed that SAPS Component Head: Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Investigations (FCS) Major-General Mmantsheke Lekhele was currently meeting with the investigating team to ensure that the investigation into the rape of a seven-year-old Matatiele girl was conducted properly This comes in the wake of several marches held across the country to demand justice for the child. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The investigation into the rape of the seven-year-old child who was allegedly attacked drugged and violated in a classroom at the Bergview College in Matatiele has stalled since the day of the incident in October 2024 In her efforts to obtain justice for her child the mother has taken to social media to bring the state of the investigation to the attention of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu Mchunu promised in a statement over the weekend that they would conduct a thorough investigation Read more: Eastern Cape community demands justice after two seven-year-olds are raped It is understood that a DNA sample of the suspect was obtained from the child’s body and the police have been asking for buccal samples from people of interest to compare to this sample according to the AfriForum Private Prosecution Unit that is currently representing him said yesterday that Pieterse had not provided a buccal sample because the police had not followed the procedure to make out a case that he should provide one Read more: School principal is not a suspect in rape of seven-year-old girl, says AfriForum’s Gerrie Nel “The ministry wishes to assure the public that law enforcement is actively investigating both matters The investigations are being handled with the utmost seriousness and priority The South African Police Service (SAPS) is working diligently to ensure that justice is served and that those responsible are held accountable “While the ministry acknowledges the public’s desire for swift action it is essential to allow the investigation to follow due process in order to ensure fairness Read more: Rape of 7-year-old girl spotlights persistent pattern of sexual abuse, procedural failures at SA schools said Major-General Lekhele would meet with “persons of interest and key stakeholders” such as the National Prosecuting Authority to ensure justice and the finalisation of the matter Lekhele is a veteran child protection police officer and has 18 years’ experience in the field.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Mathe said Lekhele was tasked to make sure that “due diligence was conducted in this case and that the chain of evidence was properly preserved”.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “Bringing criminals to book and putting perpetrators of crime behind bars remains a key priority for the SAPS,” Mathe said. “The SAPS assures the nation that justice will prevail and those who are found to be guilty of any offence will be brought to book.” DM JOHANNESBURG - Police minister Senzo Mchunu said that he is prepared to apologise to the principal of a Matatiele school where a seven-year-old child was allegedly raped. Mchunu admitted that the headmaster was falsely identified as a suspect in the rape of the minor. The institution made headlines earlier this month following reports of the rape. In the letter seen by Eyewitness news to lobby group, Afriforum - which has been representing the man, the minister said that he takes full responsibility for the statement that fingered the man but adds that he had no intention of defaming the head of the school. The Democratic Alliance (DA) is one of several political parties looking for explanation and accountability following the allegedly unlawful presence of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers at a peaceful march in Matatiele DA Spokesperson on Defence & Military Veterans said his party has tabled Parliamentary questions to investigate the presence of SANDF soldiers at the protest against Gender Based Violence (GBF) in the Eastern Cape on Tuesday “Those responsible must be held accountable for undermining the public’s right to protest peacefully and tarnishing the SANDF’s reputation,” he stated The march followed the rape of a young girl “Despite the SANDF’s media statement claiming no official deployment their vague explanation fails to clarify why armed uniformed soldiers were visibly present alongside South African Police Service public order officers during the protest,” Hattingh said “The SANDF’s assertion that troops were only in the area for ‘border safeguarding duties’ is both inadequate and alarming.” Hattingh said the SANDF’s presence at a peaceful protest should set off alarm bells and raise questions as to who authorised their presence as opposed to standard approach of public order police who are there to maintain public order and enforce the law Sections 201(2) and 201(3) of the Constitution state that only the President may authorise SANDF deployments in cooperation with the SAPS and such action must be formally reported to Parliament no such communication has been received by the Joint Standing Committee on Defence “It has since emerged that this deployment may have been the result of an unauthorised decision by a local commander — a serious breach of both constitutional and legal frameworks,” Hattingh said “As a country with one of the highest occurrences of gender-based violence globally this unlawful involvement of SANDF soldiers is both bad for civil-military relations demonstrates insensitivity toward peaceful participants marching for a just cause and undermines the Constitutionally mandated approach to protests This matter is of national importance and demands full transparency and accountability,” Hattingh concluded The SANDF in a statement said there was no official deployment to Matatiele the SANDF bus was driving along the R56 near the filling station where the South African Police Service (SAPS) had blocked the road as a precautionary measure Since they were unable to move as the road was closed off on all sides and waited outside while waiting for the road to be cleared.” Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence said it will demand the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans provide an urgent report on the circumstances of the presence of the SANDF at the Matatiele march The committee said employment of the SANDF should always be under extraordinary circumstances especially considering the stretched budget the defence force is operating with Editorial Enquiries: [email protected] Sales Enquiries: [email protected] In a scathing letter addressed to the Eastern Cape police commissioner AfriForum’s Advocate Gerrie Nel said the police have asked for a DNA sample from the principal at whose school a seven-year old was raped because the “complainant wanted one done” and not because he was a suspect Explaining his own investigation and analysis of the case to the provincial police commissioner in a letter, Nel, from AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, said he is convinced that the seven-year-old rape survivor from Matatiele was raped at a party and not at the school.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads nicknamed the Bulldog for his tenacity in court rose to fame as the prosecutor in the Oscar Pistorius case and the case against the late police commissioner Jackie Selebi He worked as a prosecutor for 33 years before starting AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit Nel said he was representing the school principal of Bergview College “to ensure that he does not fall victim to an abuse of power or that of the social media detectives who make reckless allegations with little concern of allowing the authorities the space to establish the truth of the matter” In a series of videos that were widely disseminated the mother of the child claims that the child was raped at the school when she was asked to sweep a remote classroom after smelling something like tyres burning and woke up badly injured in the school’s classroom But Nel said the timeline of the mother’s narrative and the first signs of injury in the child does not correspond. This, he said, would mean that the police were looking for suspects in the wrong place.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more: SAPS appoints top cop to Matatiele child rape investigation as justice campaign gains momentum He also said that summonses for defamation will be issued against ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Eastern Cape MEC for Education Fundile Gade who all claimed that Pieterse was a suspect in the case Gade also claimed that Pieterse would be arrested this week “The failure of the SAPS to properly investigate this case and provide meaningful feedback to the complainant has perpetuated an environment where false and defamatory allegations appear to have shifted the focus to the unjustified trial by media of individuals rather than establishing analysing and collating the objective facts/evidence indicating what the offences are who are the suspects and presenting such evidence to the National Prosecuting Authority expeditiously,” Nel wrote in his letter “It has now reached the point that senior public officials and politicians are broadcasting blatant misinformation,” Nel said saying that they were “shielding” a suspect even though the police investigators have never officially named Pieterse as a suspect Mbalula has not yet responded to a request for comment Nel explained that the problem with Pieterse not providing a DNA sample for comparison was that the police have never followed procedure by identifying him formally as a suspect and then asking for a sample. In contrast, Nel pointed out, he was asked to give one to satisfy the complainant.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Education MEC Gade made similar statements, adding that Pieterse “will be arrested this week”. Gade has not yet responded to a request for comment.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Police Minister Mchunu refers to “three individuals said they are not in a position to comment as they have not received anything formal yet from Pieterse were such that she (the child) would have been unable to move and go to school for a whole day and go to a party before the mother found the extent of her injuries she was wearing blood-stained tracksuit pants and also that the child was likely drugged Nel said the school’s internal investigation contains statements from three female teachers and the caretaker who were present on the school premises at the time that the mother alleges the rape took place Nel said on the mother’s own version as described in a TikTok video she found out that the child was badly injured after a community party on the evening of 15 October 2024 “The child woke up several times during the night due to the extreme pain she was suffering It was only on the morning of 16 October 2024 that the mother examined her child and discovered she had suffered extreme anal trauma let alone a detective who specialises in sexual offences against children is capable of analysing these facts and reaching the unassailable conclusion that the child was conceivably not raped on 14 October 2024 “We surmise that the effect of such extreme trauma would immediately debilitate the victim,” he continued. Nel added that it was impossible for the trauma the child suffered to only manifest itself a day later. He said that, as a result, he doesn’t understand  why the police have been looking for suspects at the school rather than the broader community.  “The child victim of rape has been let down, but so has our client whose life is being destroyed by the relentless social media disinformation campaign,” he said. Community gender-based activist Anele Mda, who is also assisting the family, said they believed AfriForum will “mischievously advance the miscarriage of justice so desperately deserved by the victim. Gerrie Nel is nothing in the South African Police and possesses no authority to make unfounded pronouncements to deliberately create confusion and seek to destroy the investigation to unfairly buy Jaco Pieterse’s innocence”. “Jaco Pieterse can only be cleared and exonerated by the SAPS investigation, not anyone else who wants to volunteer their unsolicited dubious opinions and wants to place them as facts. Gerrie Nel must not run an uninvited parallel informal investigation whose scope and terms of reference are questionable and lack credence,” Mda said. A former Matatiele resident who now lives in Johannesburg, auditor Raymond Mayekisa, said he has been raising money to assist the family as the medical bills for the child’s injuries were extensive and the mother said she would have to sell her car as her medical aid was exhausted.  He added that they would love to appoint a pro bono lawyer to represent the family to ensure that a thorough investigation is done. Mayekisa said he also wanted to urge the police to look at how rape victims are handled by the local police. “For any case to be resolved, you have to be someone,” he said. “Otherwise, they will just investigate at their own pace and not serve justice.”  He said as the police were getting nowhere, the community started investigating themselves, and the school “being difficult” did raise red flags for them. “But here in Matatiele, you need power and money to resolve a case.” DM Why does the newly defamed Mr Pieterse not willingly give a DNA sample to immediately clear his name? If indeed innocent he can give his detractors a middle finger, and the authorities can finally get some direction. But time is wasting and evidence is fading away, while everyone hysterically kicks the can down the road again without a clue who did this. Have your moment on social media but know that you are complicit in aiding the culprit to get away with it by muddying the waters. He has offered such a sample – under controlled conditions and subject to a proper process. It is not inconceivable that an informal DNA sample can be used to plant evidence. This begins to sound like the mother is hiding something or protecting someone. It looks like Saps are completely incompetent yet again. Irrespectively of whether he should or should not be compelled to give a DNA sample, Mr Pieterse CAN volunteer to do so, in order to eliminate himself for once and all, and speed up what seem to be unacceptable delays in the handling of the case, and finding justice. If I were innocent, I would immediately do so; for all this is badly diverting from the main issue – yet another tragic rape of a child. He has offered such a sample – under controlled conditions and subject to a proper process. It is not inconceivable that an informal DNA sample can be used to plant evidence. This is a tragedy and seemingly a travesty of justice too. Wonderful to see the DM doing some actual investigative journalism rather than merely parroting the always misguided social media frenzy. Speaking of which, apparently a troupe of MP’s descended yet again on Pretoria Girls High School to harass the headmaster for four hours last Tuesday. Remember the last race-driven social media fiasco? A good rule of thumb is this. Take what the EFF say, and 99.9% sure the reverse is true. CAPE TOWN - Police said they have not yet been able to identify a suspect in the rape of a seven-year-old Matatiele child whose case has sparked public outrage Briefing Parliament’s police committee at a special meeting on Tuesday the police’s top brass said the inability of a psychosocial worker to access the child is delaying the finalisation of the matter As parliamentarians expressed their dissatisfaction over the handling of the case Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu said it’s untrue that police only sprang into action once the case sparked nationwide protests Deputy Police Commissioner Tebello Mosikili said when a private doctor referred the girl to a Thuthuzela Care Centre in October 2024 the child received both medical and psychosocial support But police have on Tuesday acknowledged to Parliament that regular meetings with a social worker or psychologist should have continued to help identify a perpetrator “An additional appointment was then made for a forensic social worker to see the victim on the 9th of April 2025 The social worker could not get access to the victim as the mother indicated the child is sick.” Mchunu said that if the child were to continue receiving psychological support “There’s still that difficulty of the family would bring faster progress on the matter.” Mosikili said a forensic social worker is awaiting a response from the girl’s mother about when an appointment can be scheduled Police said they have taken 30 statements from those who were close to the child at the time of the suspected assault • Govt to assist families of 3 children raped in Matatiele • Principal of the school were the rape of girl (7) allegedly happened did not report the matter • Chikunga calls for more DNA samples to be collected in EC girl (7) rape case • Matatiele family wants justice following 6-year-old boy's rape • EC family battling to cope after their child was raped, allegedly at school The march follows the rape of a 7-year-old girl allegedly in a classroom at Bergview College there has been an outcry from the community and activists Three suspects, including the school principal, have been identified as people who were in close proximity to the girl on the day of the assault, intensifying the calls for accountability and justice.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Thousands of students marched to the Western Cape Education Department demanding justice after the rape of a 7-year-old pupil allegedly on the premises of a Matatiele school According to reports the girl was asked to “sweep” a classroom while waiting for transport she found her tracksuit pants covered in blood The Thuthuzela Care Centre confirmed she had been raped Read more: School principal is not a suspect in rape of 7-year-old girl, says AfriForum’s Gerrie Nel The large march in Cape Town began at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s shuttle point on Hanover Street and proceeded to the Department of Education in North Wharf Square singing songs of comfort and expressions of anger Police officers were present throughout the march Daily Maverick spoke to activists and marchers. One, who wanted to remain anonymous and is originally from Matatiele, said this could have been her child and that she could not just stand by and do nothing.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Matatiele is my home town… justice must be served and the principal so now justice should play its role,” said the marcher said nothing had been done to help children who had been raped in the past “I am a grandmother and incidents of rape have been happening so this case has not been going anywhere for almost five months What made me come out is because the police have not been taking action Crowds gathered in Cape Town to march to the WCED offices over the rape of a 7-year-old pupil in the Eastern Cape The marchers made their way to the WCED offices and demanded that MEC for Education David Maynier appear to be handed a memorandum Deputy Director-General Alan Meyer accepted the memorandum on Maynier’s behalf MEC for Education in the Eastern Cape Fundile Gade said: “In 2024 22 educators in the Eastern Cape were suspended for serious misconduct involving learners Five of those cases involved sexual assault and three involved inappropriate relationships with learners the rest still in disciplinary hearings,” said Gade Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said three people were under investigation for the crime whereafter the family will be provided with feedback on the matter,” said Mchunu Thousands of students marched to the Western Cape Education Department in Cape Town on 1 April 2025 demanding justice after the rape of a 7-year-old pupil on the premises of a Matatiele school Daily Maverick has reported that AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit is representing the Matatiele school principal in his bid to open cases of defamation and against threats of violence.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more: School principal is not a suspect in rape of 7-year-old girl, says AfriForum’s Gerrie Nel Daily Maverick spoke to SECTION27’s Education Rights Programme head Zeenat Sujee, who said the matter was devastating. There needed to be urgent intervention and safety in schools.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “It is devastating what [the minor] and her parents have had to endure… Schools should be places of safety Teachers and principals [are] in loco parentis (in the parents’ place),” said Sujee “The education authorities’ delay in acting is a denial of justice SGB and educators should have acted immediately The principal’s failure to act was compounded by a letter of expulsion.” Responding to how the government could ensure safety in schools “The Department of Basic Education and provincial education departments must ensure that all employees are vetted against the National Child Protection Register and the National Register of Sex Offenders All employers at places that work with children must ensure that they vet all their employees,” said Sujee The South African Human Rights Commission said the prevalence of child abuse, neglect and exploitation in South Africa demanded not only strong condemnation but decisive and coordinated action.  “Cases such as the [minor’s] matter reveal glaring lacunas in timely intervention, lack of accountability and systemic inefficiencies which enable the ongoing violation of children’s rights,” read an SAHRC statement. DM There should be quite a sizeable database of DNA collected from adult males wherein the DNA made unequivocal their guilt. This should be studied further to determine if there may be a genetic factor consistent with an apparent inability to control one’s libido. Men’s innate horniness is conspicuously acknowledged by followers of the prophet who insist on their women dressing as they do. Are people aware that Matatiele is nowhere near the Western Cape. What exactly are protests in Cape Town expected to achieve? JOHANNESBURG - A family in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape wants justice after their six-year-old child was repeatedly raped allegedly at a day care facility last year The incidents are alleged to have taken place around October 2024 The country has seen nationwide demonstrations over the rape of a seven-year-old girl from the area Eyewitness News spoke to the grandmother of the child who is wrought with guilt over not seeing the signs of abuse earlier Guilt has consumed the grandmother, who wishes she had realised sooner that the child she was raising was being raped. The rape allegedly occurred at the minor’s school and resulted in the child refusing to go to the institution, which is a few houses away from his home. But the short distance added to the child’s fear as the suspect, who has since been arrested, was only a few meters away from the little boy. After his persistent unusual behaviour, his guardian took him to a Thuthuzela centre, where she received news that altered the family’s reality. "I got scared when I realised that the child was hurt. When the doctor examined him, he found that the rape didn’t only happen once but multiple times. Then we called the police and opened a case of rape." According to the grandmother, the child would be beaten after the ordeal, in a guise to fool other staff members at the school that the child had been disciplined for missing class. the suspects have been identified and were arrested.In the statement on Tuesday the police said the Major Gen Lekhele will meet with persons of interests and key stakeholders such as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to ensure justice and the finalisation of the matter.“Bringing criminals to book and putting perpetrators of crime behind bars remains a key priority for the SAPS The SAPS assures the nation that justice will prevail and those that are found to be guilty of any offence will be brought to book,” said the police It further added that a comprehensive report will follow on conclusion of the work of the team led by Component Head for the FCS.“The SAPS also calls for responsible social media reporting on this sensitive matter,” it said General Enquiries newsfiles@gcis.gov.za Tel: 012 473 0213Editor Roze Britz roze@gcis.gov.za News Editor Janine Arcangeli janine@gcis.gov.zaEditor-in-Chief Zanele Mngadizanelemngadi@gcis.gov.za  CAPE TOWN - Police say the principal of the Matatiele school in the Eastern Cape where a seven-year-old girl is believed to have been raped in 2024 is not a person of interest in their investigation Both Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola on Tuesday moved to set the record straight on the matter as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) pushed the police to answer whether or not a DNA has been taken from him Masemola said DNA samples have only been taken from people who were in close to or had interacted with the young girl on the days leading up to the assault given that the school is spread over three campuses but he phoned the investigating officer to ask whether you want anything to do with me." Meanwhile, Mchunu said he has been incorrectly quoted as saying DNA had been taken from the school principal.  "It could be construed that I said so, but there’s no such from the statement itself." Police said no DNA was found on the child nor her clothing on the day of her medical examination last October.  Children and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga Children and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga is on Thursday expected to visit the families of the three children who were raped in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape The minister in the province after widespread calls for accountability following the rape of a seven-year-old learner in the area The calls follow claims that law enforcement officials had done little to investigate a six-year-old boy disappeared for hours during school time in October last year But his educators did not worry and instead berated the child for missing class upon his return This was a common occurrence for the minor who would be forced to return to face his classmates and educators after the horrific ordeal The grandmother said the rapes had devastated their family, while the child experiences behavioural difficulties in school. She explained what the school had told her about the little boy’s time at school: "He asked to go to the toilet. He didn’t return from the toilet. I heard from the principal that the child took two hours and ten minutes. He was in the bathroom for that long. Then it was break time, and they even returned to class, and he was still in the toilet. The other children had now been in the class for a long time when he returned. When he returned, he was in a bad state. He looked like he was in pain, and he also looked like he had messed on himself." Chikunga is expected to hear what support the family has received. were raped in the area around October last year All of the incidents are alleged to have happened at their schools with two of the children allegedly having suffered the ordeal at the same institution • Principal of the school where the rape of girl (7) allegedly happened did not report the matter Parents are now questioning the safety of their children at educational facilities. Gobizembe is a rural area in Matatiele, far flung from the city centre. It is mostly quiet, apart from the friendly exchanges between families and neighbours, and the sounds of shepherds herding livestock. But beneath the lull, lies a home in distress after the rape of a seven-year-old girl last year. Her relative said the little girl has never been the same since the ordeal. "Three weeks ago, she was admitted to hospital. Something was leaking from her ears with a mixture of blood and pus. She is also unable to control her bladder, sometimes sitting and passing urine unintentionally. Her anger is also intense." The minor has since been transferred to a school in KwaZulu-Natal to offer the child a fresh start. MATATIELE - Eastern Cape families whose children were victims of rape said that police had failed the little ones Some of the children are believed to have been harmed at the same school in Matatiele last year One of the families told EWN about the hurt suffered by a seven-year-old girl This is another case that has caused public outrage following the rape of another child in Matatiele last year. The little girl’s family in Gobizembe said they opened a case of rape after finding out about the attack last year, but they allegedly never received updates from police. "The child is hurt. We were not informed that a suspect had been arrested. There was silence. At some point, when we were probing, we were told that the suspect had been released. First, we weren’t told that he was arrested, we didn’t even know that he was also released. Who has the proof that he was ever arrested?" Police Minister Senzo Mchunu is expected to brief the media on the progress of another case involving the rape of a seven-year-old girl, also in the area. The minister's briefing will, however, take place almost 800 kilometeres away from where the victims are. 0861 99 00 44    Studio@smile904.fm Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has admitted that he wrongly identified the Principal of Bergview College in Matatiele as a suspect in the rape of a 7-year-old -girl According to News24 Mchunu wrote a letter to the head of Afriforum’s Private Prosecution unit saying he is prepared to apologise to Principal Jaco Pieterse The rape, which allegedly occured in October last year, sparked angry protests around the country earlier this year with calls for the principal’s arrest after Mchunu identified him in a 29 March Media Statement as one of three suspects But Mchunu has only now admitted that he was wrong although he says that he did not do so out of malice “I have human and personal empathy for your client and any other person who might have been wrongly fingered as a suspect in circumstances where he or they were only persons of interest I categorically state that I never at any stage had an intention to defame your client nor any other person for that matter.” I take responsibility for the statement in question I would like to assure you that it was issued in good faith and there was no malicious intent whatsoever “I authorised the issuing of the statement on the basis of information I had received and I had no reason not to believe in the truthfulness of the information that was placed before me It later emerged that this information was inaccurate a matter that will be addressed internally by the National Commissioner of Police.” Mchunu’s letter to Nel comes after SAPS spokesperson that the “principal was never identified as a person of interest in this particular case the principal was nowhere near that school in the three of four days that we are concentrating on.” She further articulated that there was no basis to request a buccal sample from Pieterse Afriforum’s Kallie Kriel says they will not let the matter rest there He says now that the Minister of Police has apologised and confirmed that the school principal was never a suspect including the ANC’s secretary general Fikile Mbalula who accused Afriforum of protecting a rapist will feel legal repercussions: Gerrie Nel and his team at AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit for their willingness to fight against the injustice committed by some politicians media and social media warriors against Principal Jaco Pieterse and his family They were willing to stand strong and do what is right in the face of an orchestrated smear campaign against Pieterse and AfriForum.”  Nel says the police’s failure to set the record straight in a timely manner has caused untold harm to the principal and the school’s community: “The police have a Constitutional duty to prevent It also must maintain public order and protect the public The SAPS and the Police Ministry have failed at both these duties This failure and the contributing disinformation campaign by at least the Minister of Police has turned an innocent man’s life upside down and exposed him to an ordeal of undeserved life-threatening exposure the learners and their parents became collateral damage in an entirely avoidable Our endeavours to ensure that there are consequences for those who make defamatory remarks with the intention to defame an innocent person will not wane.”  owes Bergview College Principal and the public an apology – Minister will face criminal consequences sat idle as false and defamatory statements made worse by his own false claims made in… — Barry Bateman (@barrybateman) April 9, 2025 © Smile904.fm hosted and supported by ImmediaTerms of Use | General Contest Guidelines|Archive|Advertise with us|Privacy Policy|Contact Us AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale MATATIELE - The rape of seven year old Cwecwe has again highlighted that children are not safe in South Africa She was raped in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape allegedly on the grounds of Bergview College which is a private school Ayanda Mhlongo discussed what this means with eNCA The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) says it is investigating the presence of its members at a gender-based violence (GBV) community march in Matatiele with questions raised about whether the soldiers were deployed to monitor the protest The SANDF has since clarified that the soldiers were not assigned to monitor the demonstration but were in the area as part of a border safeguarding operation PODCAST| SANDF comments about reports that its soldiers were deployed at a march against GBV: Head of Communication at the Department of Defence “We’ve requested our Officer Commanding of those troops and everybody in the Eastern Cape and the General Officer Commanding who is responsible for all our deployments including external and internal to look into the matter quite seriously because we view it in a very serious light To give us the report as soon as possible as to what transpired for our members to end up finding themselves in that area And we want that to be clearly put to the Chief of the Defence Force which will then be reported to the minister and decisions will be made.” Stopping the smuggling of illegal goods into South Africa is part of the daily task of soldiers deployed on border protection Soldiers often join forces with law enforcement to ensure illicit products do not reach point of sale One example comes from Matatiele in the Eastern Cape province where three official points of entry into South Africa are within a 35 to 65 km distance currently nearing the end of its six-month Operation Corona deployment teamed up with the local SA Police Service (SAPS) presence and Department of Home Affairs (DHA) immigration officers to raid a building seemingly used as a warehouse by smugglers On arrival at the Long Street address on 4 September the multi-agency raiding party detained eight Bangladeshis all believed to be illegally in South Africa before a thorough search established that FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) to the value of R1 125 000 were stored in the building listed the goods as five boxes of Vicks VapoRub; two boxes of Ntsu snuff; 16 boxes of Trust condoms; two boxes of Grandpa headache powders; four boxes of BST energy saving lamps; 50 bags of Tambuti snuff leaves; four boxes of Crème body lotion; four boxes of Dolly Varden glycerine; three boxes of Lifebuoy and Protex soap as well as 95 boxes – as opposed to cartons or packets – of cigarettes In addition to facing illegal immigration charges one detained Bangladeshi was charged with bribery This is in connection with the alleged offer of R20 000 to police who detained them The Phalaborwa-based infantry battalion is rotating with sister unit 10 SAI with Alpha company of the Mafikeng unit taking over the Maluti operational base Editorial Enquiries: [email protected] Sales Enquiries: [email protected] MATATIELE - Eastern Cape Education MEC has backtracked on his decision to close Bergview College in Matatiele Officials planned to shut the school over it's handling of the rape of seven-year-old pupil The school had launched an urgent court application to halt the closure Their court papers revealed that two taxi drivers a school janitor and a family member are cited as the 'persons of interest' police have been investigating eNCA senior reporter Silindelo Masikane has more details in the video above has tasked the Head of the Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Investigations unit to oversee the ongoing investigation into the alleged rape of seven year-old girl in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape The seven year-old girl was allegedly raped in October last year and to date no arrests have been made. National police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, says Major General Mmantsheke Lekhele is currently meeting with the investigating team to ensure that the chain of evidence in this case is properly preserved. “General Lekhele will meet with persons of interest and key stakeholders such as the NPA to ensure justice and the finalization of the matter. Bringing criminals to book and putting perpetrators of crime behind bars remains a key priority for the SAPS. We assure the nation that justice will prevail and those who are found to be guilty of any offence will be brought to book.” There has been a countrywide outpouring of support for the seven-year-old. Thousands of people took part in a march in Durban in support of the girl. In a memorandum handed over to the KwaZulu-Natal Education Department, they asked authorities to expedite the case.  One of the marchers, Nokthula Cele, says they are demanding answers because schools should be safe spaces. “They are going very slowly. We do not know if maybe it’s because it’s a black student or what, but now we have reached a point where we say we demand answers. Even here at the Education Department. There are many cases of young children being abused. Our children now don’t know if schools are a safe space for them or not.” In Cape Town, a memorandum of grievances including requests for the establishment of a national registry to track teachers with criminal records, preventing their employment at other schools, has been handed over to the Western Cape Education Department. Western Cape Education Minister, David Maynier, says the memorandum will be referred to the relevant national departments for action. Maynier says anyone who has experienced sexual assault of any kind, or if they know of any such case, should report the matter to the relevant authorities. “We have stringent vetting, of course, of all our teachers, to the extent that there may be allegations made. Those allegations are investigated and the department takes a very severe action against any perpetrators of sexual assault in our schools.” Different student formations from the North West University added their voices to those calling for justice. The EFF Student Command, SASCO, and other student formations led a march and handed a memorandum of demands at the provincial Department of Education in Mahikeng. This comes as a petition calling for justice for the victim has gained more than 600 000 signatures. Omphile Mokoto, from COSAS says, “We will not accept these perpetrators who are using their power to abuse our learners at all times.” “We don’t care whether you are white, we don’t care whether you are black, whether you are pink. Any perpetrator who is going to abuse our children should be held accountable,” says Theophilus Mashigo from MK Party. Masego Mokwele, who represents the EFF Student Command adds, “Number one a detailed plan of arrest for prosecution. Number two we demand a comprehensive outline of support services. Number three time line and investigation.” JOHANNESBURG - Residents and civil organisations embarked on a protest in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, on Saturday. The protest called for justice after three children were raped, allegedly at their schools in the area in 2024. Protesters marched to the local police station to hand over a petition, feeling that police have not been doing enough to handle the case. They said that the petition must also be handed to President Cyril Ramaphosa. The following images were captured by EWN's Kayleen Morgan: Matatiele residents and various civil organisations marched to the police station to hand over a petition demanding justice for the children who've been raped in the area. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/Eyewitness News