Cape Town – The Eastern Cape government has welcomed the deployment of the police’s Specialised Sexual Offences Unit to Matatiele to investigate the alleged rape of a seven-year-old girl at a school.
The girl, now aged eight, was allegedly raped in October last year but the case only attracted huge attention about two weeks ago after her mother detailed of what happened in a podcast and in local media, demanding authorities take action, AFP reported.
No arrests have been made so far.
But South Africa’s police minister Senzo Mchunu said last week that police were investigating with “utmost seriousness and priority” and had identified three suspects, including staff at the school in the Eastern Cape province.
According to SABC News, Premier Oscar Mabuyane emphasised the government’s commitment to combating gender-based violence and protecting vulnerable groups, urging community cooperation with the investigators.
The Premier is also supporting the victim’s family, assuring them and the broader community of the province’s dedication to creating safer environments, especially for children.
“On behalf of government, the Premier wants to assure the family, the community of Matatiele and broader Eastern Cape that we are taking this matter with the utmost seriousness. He has reiterated the province’s unwavering dedication to creating safer communities for all residents, especially children,” the report quoted Mabuyane’s spokesperson Khuselwa Rantjie as saying.
Reporting from Cape Town CBD this afternoon where thousands, mainly students are preparing to march to the Department of Education as calls for justice for CweCwe a 7-year-old girl who was raped at school grows. #JusticeForCwecwe @ewnreporter pic.twitter.com/26C87LvYXC
— Kayleen Morgan (@ietskaylo) April 1, 2025
Thousands of people rallied across South Africa on Tuesday in support of the girl.
More than 2,000 people marched through the centre of Cape Town, with thousands more at protests in other major centres such as Pretoria, Johannesburg and Durban.
“I have no trust in our justice system, it has always failed us,” said Janine de Vos, a mother-of-two who was at the Cape Town demonstration.
South Africa battles high rates of abuse against women and children.
One in three women in the country experiences physical or sexual abuse in their lifetimes, according to United Nations figures.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
