Calls to address gender-based violence, femicide, and abuse have grown in South Africa following the rape of a young girl known as Cwecwe. The hashtag #JusticeForCwecwe has spread across the country, with the Newcastle Municipality showing support for the victim and all women and children affected by predators.
The incident occurred on 14 October 2024 while seven-year-old Cwecwe was waiting for her school transport at Bergville College, an independent school in Matatiele, Eastern Cape.
Her mother said in a podcast interview that Cwecwe was raped on the school premises. The mother reported that the child was penetrated both anally and vaginally, and may have been drugged while sweeping a classroom.
The next day, Cwecwe’s parents noticed she had stomach pain and soreness. After examining her and finding redness and signs of distress, they took her to a doctor, who confirmed she had been penetrated.
Cwecwe told her father that the school caretaker had asked her to sweep a classroom while she waited for her ride. She fell asleep and was woken when her transport arrived, likely when the assault took place.
According to reports, the school showed little interest in identifying the perpetrator or assisting police. Following this, the family reported the crime to the South African Police Service (SAPS) in October, but the investigation stalled for months.
In early 2025, Cwecwe’s mother spoke about the case on a podcast.
As a survivor of sexual violence herself, she shared the story, prompting widespread attention. South Africans on social media adopted #JusticeForCwecwe, expressing anger over the incident and the response from the school and police.
On 1 April 2025, protests occurred in cities like Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. Thousands marched, closing education offices and carrying signs reading “Justice for Cwecwe!”
Showing support, the Newcastle Municipality joined a protest on 4 April 2025, using #JusticeForCwecwe to call for an end to violence against women and children. The Office of the Mayor reported recent incidents in Newcastle, including a woman found raped and murdered near a taxi rank and a young woman killed by her boyfriend in Madadeni last week. “The Newcastle Municipality focuses not just on service delivery, we are also responsible for social cohesion and to ensure the wellbeing of our community, championing for their safety,” said the Office of the Mayor.
Speaker for Council Cllr Thengi Zulu spoke at the protest, urging unity against abuse and violence toward children and women.
“We must not tolerate any form of abuse or violence towards some of our most vulnerable members of society, our children and women. The death sentence should be brought back for this type of crime that has now brought us together,” said Cllr Zulu. He added that under Mayor Dube’s leadership, the municipality would not tolerate such crimes and called on residents to report abuse.
Furthermore, Cllr Nonhlanhla Dube of the Amajuba District’s Women’s Caucus encouraged women and girls to pursue education and independence. “Women need to ensure they go to school and get educated so that they can pursue careers and not find themselves reliant on men and going through this because they feel they have nowhere to go.”
With the Newcastle Municipality showing support for the Cwecwe case and supporting an end to violence against women and children, what are your thoughts?
