Following nation-wide protests yesterday to demand justice for the 7-year-old girl who was raped in Matatiele in October last year, the National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has called for responsible social media reporting on the sensitive matter, while Afriforum has slammed what it calls the unjustified ‘trial by media’ of the Principal of Bergview College, Jaco Pieterse.

Pieterse approached the lobby group after receiving death threats, following accusations that he was a suspect.

It has been alleged that the little girl, known as Cwecwe, was raped on school premises on 14 October 2024, while waiting for school transport home, but Afriforum has disputed this.

The story gained momentum on social media last week when it was alleged that the Principal had refused to give a DNA sample.

As the story spread online, the Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu confirmed in a statement on 29 March that three suspects, including the principal, had been identified as suspects and that DNA tests had been conducted.

Media Statement

For Immediate Release

29 March 2025

Ministry of @SAPoliceService Responds to Calls for Intervention in Eastern Cape Incidents

The Ministry of Police has taken note of the calls on various social media platforms…

— Senzo Mchunu (@Senzo_Mchunu_) March 29, 2025

But Afriforum says the claim that Pieterse is a suspect, which was also repeated by the ANC’s Fikile Mbalula during a press conference on 1 April, is false.

The head of Afriforum’s Private Prosecutions Unit, Gerrie Nel, has asked the Matatiele Station Commander, to urgently intervene.

“The failure of the SAPS to properly investigate this case and provide meaningful feedback to the complainant has perpetuated an environment where false and defamatory allegations appear to have shifted the focus to the unjustified trial by media of individuals rather than establishing, analysing and collating the objective facts/evidence indicating what the offences are, who are the suspects and presenting such evidence to the National Prosecuting Authority expeditiously.”

Nel says the verifiable evidence is that:

• Pieterse had no contact whatsoever with the child on the day the mother alleges
  the rape took place. The evidence shows that he was at the school’s main campus, 2km away.
• The known staff at the campus where the child was picked up by the scholar transport driver was three female teachers and the male caretaker.
• All four of them made statements as part of the school’s internal investigation, which the police would have had access to.

“We accept that the investigating officer concluded that Pieterse had no contact with the child at all on the day. Not a single minute. He was not even in close proximity to the child’s location.”

It is also Afriforum’s view that the rape may not have taken place at the school at all.

Nel says on the victim’s mother’s account Cwecwe arrived home late from school on 14 October 2024, but did not complain of any injuries. Nel says according to the mother, the little girl only complained of pain during a party attended by the community on the evening of 15 October, 2024.

“The child woke up several times during the night due to the extreme pain she was suffering. It was only on the morning of 16 October 2024, when the child could not walk, that the mother examined her child and discovered she had suffered extreme anal trauma.”

Nel has questioned whether the suspicion surrounding the school has resulted in the SAPS excluding scrutinizing who was at the party on the evening of 15 October.

AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit has urged the Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner to intervene. “We accept that the investigating officer concluded that Pieterse had no contact with the child at all on the day. Not a single minute. He was not even in close proximity to the… pic.twitter.com/45ljqKbdNv

— Barry Bateman (@barrybateman) April 1, 2025

Yesterday, Commissioner Masemola said he had tasked the Head of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Investigation (FCS) unit to bolster and oversee the ongoing investigation.

Masemola made no mention of any suspects, as opposed to the Minister who stated there were three, including the Principal.

“The SAPS assures the nation that justice will prevail and those that are found to be guilty of any offence will be brought to book. A comprehensive report will follow on conclusion of the work of the team led by Component Head for FCS. The SAPS also calls for responsible social media reporting on this sensitive matter.”