By Anita Dangazele
Eastern Cape Department of Education MEC Fundile Gade has warned that heads will roll if any negligence is found leading to the rape of a five-year-old primary school pupil while walking home on Friday.
The five-year-old learner was travelling back home from Emdeni Junior Secondary school in Bizana.
Eastern Cape education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said a case has been opened with the police.
“Internally, the department has already activated a district team to visit the school and family, while investigation will also be undertaken to establish facts around the matter,” Mtima said.
He said the planned investigation will start on Monday.
MEC Gade condemned the barbaric incident.
“What disturbs me most is that elders are supposed to protect children, not prey on them. Surely this will leave a lifetime scar in the life of this innocent child. We condemn this incident with the strongest terms as it stripped the child off her dignity,” he said.
“Should anyone be found having negligently acted leading to this incident, heads will roll.”
This incident follows two other rapes inside school premises in the past two weeks.
Six matric pupils from Nico Malan High School in Humansdorp were suspended after they allegedly raped four Grade 8 girls at the school’s hostel.
The incident was reported by one of the victim’s parents. The school’s own investigation revealed that the alleged incident happened on two occasions, although the first incident was not reported.
“The second incident had four victims, two of the four were of the same six [boys]. All the six [matric] boys are currently suspended from the hostel pending the outcome of the internal investigation,” the report said.
In a separate incident, Eastern Cape police arrested a 21-year-old Dutywa high school pupil for the rape of another pupil at a private hostel last weekend.
Pictured above: Illustration image
Image source: Rape Crisis/ X
