In a powerful display of solidarity, South Africans marched to the Western Cape Education Department to support 7-year-old Cwecwe and call for swift intervention from law enforcement.
Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers
The portfolio committee on police joined many others for an update on the status of the Cwecwe case.
This was during a meeting with the SAPS on challenges of the Crime Intelligence Division and gang-related crime in the Western Cape on Wednesday.
EFF parliament member Babalwa Mathulelwa said she had been with the victim and her family since the rape in October 2024 at Bergview College in Matatiele, Eastern Cape.
She said on January 15, they picketed at the school, and the principal responded to their memorandum sent on January 20.
Mathulelwa said police started their process backwards by not arresting the suspect before investigating.
She said they returned to the police station to open a backup case because police were not treating the incident with urgency. However, police said they could not do so because of duplication.
Mathulelwa said those around, except the principal, were willing to provide their DNA and other necessary samples.
“The principal must be arrested, and then the investigation can happen,” Mathulelwa said.
She said: “Since October until today, there is no development.”
“The family needs a very simple thing. They want proper answers with a proper timeframe about when the police are arresting the principal.”
National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola.
Image: GCIS
National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola said the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit investigated the matter in the Eastern Cape.
He said the investigating officer did what was required of him through the investigation, where he was supposed to take exhibits or samples, which were sent to the lab and take the necessary statements.
“I dedicated the head of the FCS national Major General Mmantsheke Lekhele, to take over this investigation, not that there was no investigation. The investigation was done. Just to rerun the case and make sure that from senior level, everything has been done,” Masemola said.
Major General Lekhele is currently in the Eastern Cape and has already conducted several interviews and will also take additional statements if necessary.
“There have been three doctors involved in the matter and she is going through those doctors to get relevant information, interview them; if she needs to take additional statements, she will do so. Once she has done that, she will get everything back to the public prosecutor and then they will be able to inform us as to how and what are they going to do with the case,” Masemola explained.
He said that in terms of timeline, the incident happened on October 16, 2024, and immediately, everything that was necessary was done, the parents reported the case, everything else was done, the relevant people’s statements were taken. Social workers, forensic social workers of SAPS were involved.
He said SAPS is concerned, not only about this matter but all matters involving children.
Deputy police commissioner Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili said SAPS does not arrest to investigate; they investigate to arrest.
They only arrest immediately in prima facie cases.
Mosikili reiterated that the rape matter is receiving attention.
“I can allay the fears of the committee members and community that we will do everything humanly possible to ensure that all processes are followed and all have been followed or have been followed to the letter,” Mosikili said.
Portfolio committee chairperson Ian Cameron cautioned people who are finding people guilty on social media and said we need to allow the law to take its course.
He said the committee needs to zoom in on more of these cases, but also consider what improvements are needed.
“It must be repeated, though, that per day in South Africa, three children are murdered. That’s not even mentioning all the other horrible things that happen to children, like with this specific case,” Cameron said.
thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za