Expert calls for schools to create safe spaces for children as hundreds demand justice for Cwecwe

April 1, 2025 57 1

The Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children is calling for schools to improve their vetting process to ensure that no individuals might be masquerading as innocent individuals on their property.

The clinic’s Director, Dr Shaheda Omar, says every individual who comes into contact with children, irrespective of their position, from supporting staff to cleaners, must undergo a rigorous background check.

The clinic is reacting to the rape of Grade 2 learner, Cwecwe, who was raped – allegedly on the school grounds while waiting for her transport in October last year.

Bergville College principal, Jaco Pieterse, has been receiving backlash for allegedly delaying investigations after he initially refused with his DNA samples.

Last week Friday, the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape issued the school with a notice to deregister after Cwecwe’s mother took to social media venting her frustrations with the snail pace of investigations.

Dr Omar has urged schools to check the Sex Offenders, and the Child Protection Part B registers every six months to ensure that the individuals who come into contact with children aren’t career offenders.

The Teddy Bear Clinic says the array of systemic challenges, led to little Cwecwe being failed by systems that were meant to protect her.

The Department of Education, the SAPS, and her community have come under the spotlight for only acting after the tragic incident had gained public attention.

Dr Omar says there needs to be specialists who have been trained to work with children.

The Director of the Teddy Bear Clinic has applauded Cwecwe for speaking to her parents about what happened to her, calling for parents to create safe environments for their children to speak up whenever they’re touched inappropriately.

The National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, has meanwhile tasked the Head of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Investigations (FCS) unit, Major General Mmantsheke Lekhele, to oversee the ongoing investigation into the horrific incident.

Major Gen Lekhele is set to meet with all persons of interest and key stakeholders such as the NPA in a bid to ensure justice and the finalisation of the matter.

Meanwhile, AfriForum, which has been blasted for representing Pieterse, has denied the claims.

Instead the lobby group says it is providing the embattled principal the neccessary support to avoid him being prejudiced and possibly made to pay for a crime he might have not committed.

The organisation has also poked holes into claims that Cwecwe could have been raped by Pieterse.

The lobby group says there’s evidence that Pieterse was never in contact with Cwecwe on the day she was raped.

It also suggests that the little girl could have been raped during a party at her home due to holes in when she started experiencing pains.

Letter to EC Provincial Commissioner

Cwecwe’s story has brought home the horror children face daily in the country, prompting hundreds of South Africans across the country to head to the streets, demanding #JusticeForCwecwe.

Today we march the streets of Hatfield as the EFFYC in solidarity with Cwecwe✊🏾

We demand justice for the girl child in South Africa!!🇿🇦

As ground forces we refuse to stand by while abusers walk free!!

The perpetrators must face the full might of the law!! Kubo!✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/klzmylGfGd

— Nyakallo Mokoena (@KalloMosadi)

#JusticeForCwecwe ‼️‼️‼️

Thank you NWU Mafikeng Campus, Thank you Batswana Bagaetsho, Thank you Mafikeng, Thank you Students!😭🙌🏾 We Stand with Cwecwe during these Difficult Trying Times! 💔 pic.twitter.com/fqdukf5Nf9

— 🇿🇦 Apostle Dr D Mekgwe🇹🇼 (@ApostleDeza) April 1, 2025

alloMosadi/status/1907102601331495413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>April 1, 2025

Law enforcement have had a challenging time combining sporadic groups joining the march in support of 7-year-old CweCwe here in Cape Town. There’s no clear organiser with some young people I’ve spoken to calling it ‘the power of social media’. #JusticeForCwecwe @ewnreporter pic.twitter.com/lOglTb6w8U

— Kayleen Morgan (@ietskaylo) April 1, 2025

Here in Johannesburg, marchers made their way to the Department of Education’s offices, where Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane, vowed that any teacher who perpetrates any form of violence against children would be dismissed.

Today, we raised our voices for Cwecwe—for every child failed by the system. How many more must suffer before justice is served? Convicted molesters must not walk free in silence. Make the sex offenders list public. Protect our children.
Justice must prevail!#JusticeForCwecwe pic.twitter.com/CbdkorG2z1

— Matome Chiloane (@matomekopano) April 1, 2025

Written by Nokwazi Qumbisa

Written by: Lindiwe Mabena

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