Mpumalanga Mother Calls for Justice After Sexual Assault Case of Young Girl is Withdrawn

• A three-year-old child was allegedly sexually assaulted by a staff member at a school in a township in Mpumalanga
• The mother of the three-year-old said that she had lost faith in the justice system after the case was withdrawn
• The incident reportedly happened at school on 11 November 2024, and no arrests have been made
• Briefly News reached out to SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane for an update on the case

MPUMALANGA - The mother of a three-year-old daughter said that she has lost faith in the justice system after her child was allegedly sexually assaulted at a school in Mpumalanga.

What happened to the three-year-old?

According to the mother, the child was accompanied to the school by her 10-year-old brother. She said that the child was early for school and that the gate was not yet opened. The mother told The Citizen that her son left when he saw a staff member coming to open the school gate.

The mother then said that she received a call from the school at around 09:00 informing her that her daughter was not in a good state.

She said that she immediately took the child to the clinic, where she was referred to the Rob Ferreira Hospital. At the hospital the doctor conducted a rape kit examination and it was confirmed that the three-year-old was sexually abused.

What happened to the case?

The child reportedly told her mother that the staff member who opened the gate at the school hurt her. In response, they went to his house, but out of fear of being hurt, the staff member called the police.

The mother then went to the police station to open a case. According to her, the staff member was allowed to go home and was never arrested. The case was transferred to another police station, where the child and the mother spoke to social workers.

The social workers reportedly told the mother that the child was unresponsive and that they should come back when the child is 5 years old.

What do the police say?

SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane told The Citizen that the case had no leads and that the social workers could not get enough information from the victim. She said that if new evidence emerges, arrests will be made because the case has not been thrown out.

Briefly News contacted SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane for the latest developments in the case. She explained:

"We have reviewed the case. It was temporarily withdrawn due to the absence of witnesses and a suspect. The investigation went cold.

Our forensic social workers and medical professionals confirmed that there was evidence of sexual assault, but the child was unable to identify the perpetrator.

As a result, the case has been withdrawn pending any new information that may arise," she said.

More school rape stories

• The South African Police Service has launched a manhunt for a 58-year-old teacher accused of repeatedly raping a primary school learner. According to reports, the abuse took place multiple times between November and 7 March 2025.
• Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has admitted that investigations into the rape of young Cwecwe have revealed deeply troubling findings. Chikunga confirmed that the now eight-year-old girl may have been sexually abused on multiple occasions, prompting calls for an expanded investigation.
• AfriForum has continued to cast doubt on the involvement of Bergview College’s principal in the rape of a seven-year-old learner at an Eastern Cape school. The incident, which allegedly took place in October last year, has sparked national outrage.

Malawian man in court for rape

One man, a Malawian national, appeared in court to face charges of rape after seven men allegedly ganged on a 17-year-old.

The teenager was allegedly raped during an ordeal lasting the whole night after the suspects stormed a salon in Bambamatches.

Source: Briefly News