SA Horrified As North West Primary School Children To Appear in Court for Rape
- Two children who are in primary school were arrested after they were accused of allegedly raping a grade five learner
- The boys are expected to appear before the Temba Magistrates Court after the incident happened at a school in the area
- South Africans were shattered at the alleged incident, and some commented on the lack of discipline prevalent among children
- Briefly News spoke to crime expert Dr Tinyiku Ngoveni about factors that could influence children to commit a crime
Don't miss out! Join Briefly News Sports channel on WhatsApp now!
Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.
Source: Getty Images
NORTH WEST — South Africans were shaken after two children aged 11 and 13 were arrested for allegedly raping a grade five learner in the North West. The incident happened at the Mmatsheko Primary School.
According to SABC News, other learners from the school witnessed alleged sexual activity between the two boys and the grade 5 learner. They then reported the incident to the school-based support team. The school reached out to the social worker, parents, and guardians.
The learners reportedly admitted that they engaged in sexual acts during a school-governing board meeting. The boys are expected to appear on 30 September 2025. They were supposed to appear on 19 September, but the matter was postponed.
Source: Getty Images
Stories about rape
A four-year-old was buried in Eldorado Park on 19 August 2025 after she was allegedly raped and killed by her father. The police found her father in a small shack with her and her older brother. She was covered in bruises and was rushed to the hospital, where she died. The father and her mother were arrested.
A nine-year-old disclosed that she was sexually abused by her brother in the Lwandlamuni village in Limpopo. Her brother, the 18-year-old suspect, was arrested and appeared before the court on 1 September 2025.
Convicted rapist and murderer Phethe Simiao was sentenced to two life sentences at the Johannesburg High Court on 1 September. Simiao was found guilty of raping and murdering six-year-old Amantle Samane, who was found dead in his shack in Soweto in October 2024.
Briefly News speaks to an expert
Crime expert Dr Tinyiku Ngoveni spoke to Briefly News about factors that could influence children to commit crimes.
"Certain children might have certain psychological factors that are ignored by the parents and seen as normal. Environmental factors also play a huge role in terms of children's criminal behaviour. For example, the area that is alcohol-dominated, accompanied by various crimes, can lead to our youth being involved," he said.
"The access to cellphones and various videos, including murder and sex, can lead to crime. Parental sexual intercourse behaviour practiced in the same room in the presence of assumed sleeping children can lead to the experiment. Negligent environmental household behaviour can also play a role. For example, placing dangerous weapons and chemicals without considering the children's accessibility and risk can lead to violence."
South Africans comment
Netizens commenting on Facebook condemned the incident.
Cherry Marie Goodale asked:
"How did they know about sexual activity and what exactly goes on there at that young age? Check the household."
Gerald Erasmus said:
"Parents must also be investigated."
Lucy Ferrao said:
"Children act out what they are exposed to over and over. Social services need to get involved."
Patricia Pecci Lovergal said:
"I've heard adults bragging about raping young girls, and some were their young female relatives visiting for holidays. It's been happening for years."
Tshepo Molete said:
"Learning from their elders."
Alleged Soweto rapist arrested
In a related article, Briefly News reported that an alleged serial rapist was arrested in September 2025 at his home in Diepkloof. This was after he was connected to over 230 rape cases.
The man's reign of terror began in 2008 when he targeted victims between the ages of 15 and 55 in Gauteng and the North West. He is facing 35 counts of rape, 22 charges of robbery, and other charges.
Source: Briefly News
Tebogo Mokwena (Current Affairs editor) Tebogo Mokwena is the Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk and a current affairs writer at Briefly News. With a Diploma in Journalism from ALISON, he has a strong background in digital journalism, having completed training with the Google News Initiative. He began his career as a journalist at Daily Sun, where he worked for four years before becoming a sub-editor and journalist at Capricorn Post. He then joined Vutivi Business News in 2020 before moving to Briefly News in 2023.
Dr Tinyiku David Ngoveni (Chair of Department of Criminology and Security Science) Dr. Tinyiku David Ngoveni is a Senior Lecturer and Chair of the Criminology & Security Science Department at UNISA's School of Criminal Justice. With vast academic experience, he has contributed to Teaching & Learning, Research, Engaged Scholarship, and Academic Citizenship. His research focuses on a multi-disciplinary approach to safety and security, with notable publications on CPF and SAPS collaboration in crime prevention.
