No arrests yet after being raped in the Eastern Cape in October, 7 years old
Thousands of students and learners marched in Cape Town and Durban on Tuesday to seek justice for a seven-year-old boy who was raped in the Eastern Cape last October.
In December, the child’s mother accused police of slow behavior after the child was raped. The child was a learner at Bergview College, a private school in Matatierre. There is no confirmation that the child was raped at school.
In a SAPS statement Wednesday, National Police Chief Fanny Masemora said he has appointed Major General Mmantsheke Lekhele, prime minister of domestic violence, child protection and sexual Investigation, to oversee the investigation into rape. Lekhele had now met with the investigative team to confirm that “in this case due diligence was carried out and the chain of evidence was properly preserved.”
Learners, including elementary school students accompanied by their parents and students from Cape Peninsula Institute of Technology, joined Keether Gracht, in the Western Cape Education Office and in the Council.
In Durban, around 500 protesters marched from Gugu Dramini Park to the KwaZulu-Natal Education Department.
Cape Town’s Local Education Bureau handed over a memorandum to Mech David Meinier, who asked him to put pressure on the Eastern Cape Education Department to fire the school’s principal. They also called for faster action after the police and rapists arrested.
Maynier said he would introduce the memorandum to be introduced to relevant national sectors.
“We are aware that the Eastern Cape Education Department and SAPS are investigating the case, urging the perpetrator to be found and face the full power of the law.
“Our children must be able to learn in a safe environment when they are in school. This incident occurred in another state, but I encourage anyone who notices incidents of abuse or assault at Western Cape School to report this immediately to the SAPS and SAFE SCORLOS programs,” Maynier said.
In Durban, the memorandum has been handed over to nkosinathi ngcobo, head of the state ministry of education. Nomvula Shale of Siphila Ngomusa Community Development, who helped drafted the memorandum, said her organization was involved in March. Siphila Ngomusa Community Development focuses on the end of healthcare and the spread of HIV.
SAPS and AFRIFORUM are inconsistent with each other
In a media release on March 29, the Police Department confirmed the social media protest. “A minor at Bergview University in the Eastern Cape was raped and three individuals, including the school’s principal, were identified as suspects. All unresolved statements have since been obtained by investigators. DNA testing has also been conducted.”
However, Barry Bateman, communications manager at Afriforum, who represents the school’s principal, said the principal was not a suspect. In a press release starting March 29, Afriforum said they would not defend the rapists. Bateman said the principal was not on the school campus where the rape took place.
“We are horrified that police have not yet arrested,” Bateman said.
In a statement, SAPS said Lekhele would now meet with the investigative team to confirm that “in this case due diligence has been carried out and the chain of evidence is properly preserved.”
The mother of the child shared the story on social media on a podcast called the Hope Revolution. She said the child was at the company of four men on the day of the rape: her husband, the school principal, the school transport driver and the caretaker. She said everyone except the school principal agreed to take DNA samples and the results were back negative. She said the principal had not agreed to take the test.
In a letter to SAPS, Gerrie Nel of Afriforum said that Afriforum advised the principal not to provide DNA samples “until acceptable evidence is provided to explain why it is necessary for the investigation.” He said the DNA samples were “irrational and unfair” and “abuse of the process.”
This follows a statement last week that Eastern Cape Education Bureau MEC Fundile Gade announced plans to register the school. He said the school violated conditions related to learner safety and denounced school management for delays in the investigation. He said the principal refused to cooperate with the police.
Danie van Zyl, chairman of the Bergview College Board, said in a statement on March 30 that the school is receiving legal advice and “is advised that the MEC does not have the authority or authority to withdraw school registrations the same way he should do.”
Van Jill said the decision was “illegal and invalid” and failed to comply with the law. The school will ask the High Court to put the decision aside, he said.
“The incident dates back to October last year and nothing happened,” said Lumkile Jongephi, a student at CPUT on Tuesday, March.
He said marching across the country is not just for this child, but for all children experiencing abuse in their homes, in their communities and in their schools.
“The school is meant to protect the children and not harm them. What happened to this child is also happening at other schools,” Johngeffi said.
Sonwabo Philani, a CPUT student who is taking part in the Cape Town March, said any form of child abuse was “unacceptable.”
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“People who are suspected of violating a child’s rights should be prosecuted and if they committed a crime they were sentenced to a very long prison sentence, and even a life sentence,” Filani said.
Nomivrasheur of Shifila Nugomsa Community Development, who helped take over the memorandum in Durban, said she was involved in March as she hopes for quick justice for raped learners and steps to prevent it from happening again at school. Siphila Ngomusa Community Development focuses on the end of healthcare and the spread of HIV.
Nocturacele, chairman of the AIDS Council for the Women’s Sector of Etekwini district and who joined in March, said violence against youth must often be addressed.
“We have a variety of cases of young children who come to us in cases of rape and we want to see justice for all of these learners.”
The girl’s mother told Groundup Tuesday that the investigation is finally underway. She introduced further questions to Nomvla Kuhla of Hallken women’s support organization, focusing on gender-based violence in Matatiere.
Qola said her mother, a police officer, was asked to stop interviewing her as she shares a lot of information, including what happened to the docket.
She said SAPS and the Social Development Bureau are currently working together to help mothers and daughters.
