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By Charmaine Ndlela
Gauteng’s education MEC has condemned the alleged drugging and rape of eight primary school boys as an “unspeakable” act, urging parents to instil values of respect in their children.
Matome Chiloane expressed shock over the Sept. 1 incident at Khomani Primary School in Diepsloot, Soweto.
“Such an unspeakable act should never happen to any learner in Gauteng,” Chiloane said in a statement.
“We sympathise dearly with the affected learners and families, assuring them of our full support during this time.”
The attack, in which a grade 7 boy allegedly stole and drugged a cold drink before giving it to the victims, who were then raped at gunpoint by an adult, has highlighted vulnerabilities in school safety.
“This incident is a reminder of the importance of our collective duty to ensure the safety of our children in and outside of school,” Chiloane added.
“We once again call on parents to play an active role in the lives of their learners, to instil values of respect and integrity that will form the foundation of the education we provide them with.”
Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said the grade 7 pupil has been suspended, with a disciplinary hearing scheduled for September 17.
The adult perpetrator was arrested, and police investigations are ongoing.
Psychosocial support has been provided to the victims and families, including assessments by the Teddy Bear Clinic for injuries and well-being.
The condemnation comes as South Africa’s schools grapple with rampant violence and bullying.
The South African Human Rights Commission has found that in primary schools, daily incidents of fighting, intimidation and vandalism are turning learning spaces into places of fear, contributing to emotional trauma and dropouts, particularly among girls.
South Africa also faces one of the world’s highest rape rates. According to police statistics for the final quarter of 2024/25, there were 13, 452 reported sexual offences, with rape cases increasing to 10,688.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) said in 2024 that over 106,000 child rape cases and 22 000 sexual assault cases involving children had been reported in the six years to 2023/2024.
The information was provided via a parliamentary question. “On average, this equals approximately 1,472 child rape cases per month,” the party said at the time.
Education officials have called for stronger community involvement and implementation of the National School Safety Framework to combat these issues.
While the department of basic education has said it is implementing the framework across schools, it also said this year it has experienced “serious” capacity constraints such as “staff shortages in district safety directorates, financial limitations, and external environmental challenges such as high crime rates and infrastructure vandalism in certain communities”.