The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) is horrified and enraged by the escalating crisis of rape and sexual violence targeting children and students in schools across the country. These are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of a nation in crisis — where predators roam freely, and institutions built to protect children collapse into silence, denial, and impunity.
Justice Denied: The Case of Cwecwe in Matatiele
In October 2024, an 7-year-old girl Cwecwe was raped at Bergview College in Matatiele while waiting for transport. Her mother’s pleas for justice were met with indifference. The school principal has impeded the investigative efforts law enforcement officers, including blatantly refusing to take a DNA test. Instead of being suspended for refusing to cooperate with law enforcement, he remains defiant, reportedly backed by AfriForum. This is a grotesque betrayal of justice and of the child’s dignity.
SAFTU calls for the revocation of the school principal’s teaching license as his actions are in clear violation of the code of professional ethics outlined by the South African Council for Educators.
Limpopo: Armed Rapist Attacks TVET College Students
In February 2025, four young women at a Limpopo TVET college residence were raped at gunpoint by a home invader. The primary suspect promised to surrender but vanished. Only after a public outcry were two men arrested. Students were left traumatized and unprotected, while the state dragged its feet.
Eastern Cape: Schoolboy Among the Latest Victims
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Cape, a schoolboy was recently raped in a case that barely made headlines. In the same province, two seven-year-old children were raped in separate incidents. Communities are crying out for help. Instead, they are met with silence and indifference.
A Broken System, a Country at War With Its Children
These horrific cases confirm what the statistics have long told us:
• Only 1 in 9 rape survivors report the crime.
• Just 50.5% of cases result in arrests.
• Fewer than 6.2% of rape cases end in conviction.
These numbers expose a justice system that has abandoned our children. Schools protect reputations, not learners. Police dismiss complaints. Courts delay. And perpetrators walk free.
SAFTU Demands: No More Silence
1. Suspend the Bergview College Principal Immediately. No one accused of interfering in a rape investigation should remain in power.
2. Prosecute the Limpopo Rapists Fully. Expedite the case and protect the survivors.
3. Investigate Every Case in the Eastern Cape. No more buried stories and community cover-ups.
4. Create a National Child Protection Task Team. This crisis demands urgent state intervention.
5. End Institutional Protection of Rapists. Schools, unions, and civil institutions must stop shielding suspects and start protecting children.
Our Children Are Not Safe. This Is a War.
South Africa is at war with its children — and losing. Girls are being raped in classrooms and schoolyards. Boys are being violated in silence. And when families speak out, they are mocked, ignored, or threatened. This is not just gender-based violence. It is a full-scale societal collapse — and the working class is paying the price.
SAFTU Pledges to Fight
We will not be silent. We will march, picket, and expose every institution that fails to act. We stand with every survivor, every grieving parent, and every child whose innocence has been stolen.
A Statement was issued on behalf of SAFTU by General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
For more details, contact the National Spokesperson at:
Newton Masuku
066 168 2157
Newtonm@saftu.org.za
