Uncategorized
By Johnathan Paoli and Lungile Ntimba
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has strongly condemned the recent sexual assault of a seven-year-old child at Bergview College in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape, emphasising that schools should be sanctuaries of learning and growth, not places of violence and fear.
Speaking during the annual Uyinene Mrwetyana Memorial Lecture at Kingswood College in Grahamstown, Gwarube expressed her outrage and heartbreak, calling for collective responsibility in addressing the scourge.
“Uyinene was to all of us, a call to action, a moment to reflect on the unacceptably high levels of violence against women and children in our country and a moment to acknowledge that the government failed her as it fails countless women and young children on a daily basis.
“She was also a moment for us to commit ourselves, as a society, to ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to live a life of safety and dignity and to thrive,” the minister said.
Gwarube’s speech resonated deeply with the audience as she acknowledged the government’s repeated failures to protect children and women from gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), underscoring that the latest incident was a painful reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by young girls across the nation.
The lecture was held in memory of Uyinene Mrwetyana, a young woman whose brutal murder in 2019 became a rallying cry against femicide and served as a platform to inspire young women to step into leadership roles and claim their rightful space in society.
Gwarube announced that she, alongside Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Nkhensani Kubayi, were spearheading legislative changes to tighten protections for children in schools.
Key among these measures was strengthening the National Register for Sex Offenders to ensure that no individual with a history of sexual violence could work in any education institution.
She held that every single person who came into contact with children in schools must be vetted against the sexual offenders’ register, emphasising that vetting should extend beyond teachers to include school administrators, janitors, transport drivers and all other staff members.
The department also pledged to implement strict policies that enforced mandatory reporting of sexual abuse in schools, with severe consequences for institutions and individuals who attempted to cover up cases of misconduct.
The assault of the young girl, identified as Cwecwe, has sparked national outrage, with various political and civil society groups demanding immediate action.
The Economic Freedom Fighters and the Select Committee on Education have both criticised law enforcement and school authorities for their sluggish response, with EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo calling it “a betrayal of their constitutional duty to serve and protect”.
Thambo lambasted the principal of Bergview College for refusing to cooperate with authorities and instead seeking legal protection.
“This move is an insult to the fight against violence against children and a blatant obstruction of justice,” he declared.
Committee chairperson Makhi Feni echoed these sentiments, emphasising that “deregistration of the school does not address the sexual violation of a child”.
“Accountability means the perpetrator must be arrested and the educators’ regulatory bodies must ensure he is added to the national register of sexual offenders.”
Gwarube emphasised that the fight against GBVF could not be won by government interventions alone, and called on schools, communities and men in particular to take responsibility for ensuring the safety of women and children.
She noted that while South African girls continued to outperform their male counterparts in the National Senior Certificate results and were excelling in STEM fields, these achievements were being overshadowed by the constant threat of violence.
The department has pledged to fast-track legislative amendments to make vetting against the sexual offenders’ register mandatory for all school staff as well as improve security in schools, including CCTV surveillance, tighter vetting of non-teaching staff and safe transport arrangements.
Gwarube has also promised to strengthen GBVF education in schools, ensuring that children are equipped with the knowledge and tools to report abuse, and ensure immediate psychosocial support for victims of sexual violence, including counseling and legal assistance.
In closing, Gwarube urged South Africans to demand accountability and to ensure that no more girls suffered in silence.
“The war against women and children cannot be won by government alone. It has to be a whole-of-society approach. We must stare this scourge down until we rid our country of those who believe they can victimise and kill us,” she said.
The memorial lecture ended with a renewed commitment from government leaders, civil society and the public to make South African schools and communities safer for children.
As investigations into the Bergview College assault continue, public pressure is mounting on law enforcement to act swiftly and decisively.
INSIDE EDUCATION