Not in My Name Calls for Justice for Bergview College Rape Victim, SA Agrees

• Advocacy organisation, Not in My Name, has slammed the incident where the seven year-old child was raped at Berview College
• This was after she was raped allegedly on the school premises, resulting in the Eastern Cape Depatment of Education deregistering the school
• The organisation said justice must be swift for the little girl, and South Africans were still shaken by the incident
• Briefly News also spoke to GBV activist Vanessa Govender, who spoke about GBV and Gareth Newham, the Head of the Justice and Violence Prevention Programme from the Institute for Security Studies

With nine years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, a current affairs writer for Briefly News, provided insights into the criminal justice system, crime statistics and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.

JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG — Not in My Name has called for the justice system to be swift in delivering justice to the little girl who was raped at the Bergview College in the Eastern Cape in 2025.

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What did Not in My Name say?

In an interview with eNCA, the organisation's spokesperson, Themba Masango, said similar incidents have become too common in South Africa. The organisation also said that what was disturbing was that the school and the principal, Jaco Pieterse, were nonchalant about the incident. He slammed the school for allegedly demanding sick notes from the parents and dealing with the case in an insensitive manner.

"This needs to come to an end. The perpetrator needs to be found, and the way the perpetrator will be found is if law enforcement goes to the school and every single staff member from the gardener through to the principal has been vetted and tested," he said.

Masango also applauded the province's Education Department for deregistering the school and compelling it to cooperate with law enforcement to find justice for the victim.

What happened to the little girl?

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The little girl was raped in October 2024. Her parents discovered the next day that she had been violated after she complained of excruciating pain. Her parents, who are members of the South African Police Service, reported the matter to the school. However, the school reportedly refused to report the incident to the Department of Education. The school also reportedly instructed the parents not to speak publicly about it.

The girl's mother went on a podcast and talked about the experience. The police investigated the case, and the Department of Education sent a notice to them that the school was being closed. It accused the school of not providing a safe learning environment.

AfriForum representing Pieterse

Lobby group AfriForum, which is representing the school's principal, Jaco Pieterse, slammed the police. This was after the investigating officer requested a buccal sample from Pieterse and he initially refused. He eventually relented, and AfriForum said this was an abuse of process.

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Briefly News speaks to GBV activist

GBV activist Vanessa Govender spoke to Briefly News about GBV and children as victims.

"It doesn't matter how many times we read or hear of incidents where young children are the victims of violent crimes, whether being killed as bystanders or deliberately targeted. It still cuts to the core," she said.

Briefly News speaks to justice specialist

Gareth Newham from the Institute for Security Studies spoke to Briefly News.

"It is critically important that our schools are places of safety for learners, teachers and staff. however, the onus is on the principals who need to make sure that proper systems and mechanisms are in place to prevent misdeeds or criminality from happening," he said.

South Africans weigh in

Netizens commenting on eNCA's Facebook post shared their opinions on the case.

Dorrit Smit said:

"Police are not doing their jobs. They can get a warrant to get DNA from everyone. I'm shocked that since 2024 to now, this has not been done."

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Carla Raikin Ovadia said:

"So many children have been failed. Take action now."

Brenda Maluleke said:

"No to child abuse. Let us work together to end violence and abuse to our children by creating a safe and conducive environment for them to grow like any child."

Botumelo MaMa'Grace Sibanda said:

"They should take samples from everyone from the staff to the principal."

Patuoe Ncala said:

"It's so painful that the perpetrator is known and protected."

Malawian arrested for rape of teenager

In a related article, Briefly News reported that a Malawian national appeared in court in Mpunalanga on 7 January 2025 after he was arrested for raping a teenager. The incident happened in Bushbuckridge.

The police also launched a manhunt for the other suspects involved in the incident as it was a gang rape. The police called on the public to come forward with information that could lead to the suspects' arrests.

Source: Briefly News