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A 5-year-old pupil from Emdeni Junior Secondary School was raped at Isikelo A/A, Ludeke location in Bizana. The incident took place on the 29th of February 2024. It is alleged that the pupil was reported to be suffering from a running stomach while still on the school’s premises.
According to one of the teachers, the school tried to contact the girl’s parent, but they could not get hold of her. They then cleaned the girl up and sent her back to class.
We cleaned her up and gave her a tracksuit so that she may go back to class and washed her clothes as we could not get hold of the mother. The girl was unfortunately raped on her way back home after school. The parent and members of the community can attest to this. The teaching and non-teaching staff cannot be blamed for what happens outside the school’s premises, said the teacher.
The Eastern Cape Department of Education MEC Fundile Gade has strongly condemned this rape of the pupil and has solemnly pledged with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to fast track the investigation, so that justice may take its course. The MEC has then appointed a departmental task team to investigate the matter.
This has left me speechless, and the most painful part is that the people who are supposed to protect children are the ones who commit such offenses. This has left a permanent scar on the child and has destroyed her self-esteem, said MEC Gade.
The department has also delegated officials from the office of Educational Social Support Services (E.S.S.S) to give support and counselling to the affected family.
A case of rape has been opened, and the police are still investigating.
