SANDF denies deploying soldiers to justice for Cwecwe march

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has rejected as false, claims that it deployed soldiers to a protest, demanding justice for little Cwecwe who was raped in Matatiele last year.

According to the military, the soldiers seen at the protest were in the area on border safeguarding duties.

“We will like to express sincere regret regarding the incident where our soldiers were seen during the march against gender-based violence in Matatiele,” it adds in a statement.

The SANDF’s head of communications, Siphiwe Dlamini, says South Africa’s military is gender sensitive 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,” he says.

The apology follows backlash from the public who lamented the harrowing memories the soldiers brought back, with some even referencing the deaths of civilians at the hands of heavy-handed military and police officials during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.

While some South Africans have accepted it, it seems to have missed the mark for other members of the public.