MMAWUSA OUTRAGED OVER INJUSTICE FOR CWECWE, DEMANDS SAPS AND NPA FOR ACTION.
THE METAL MINING AND ALLIED WORKERS’ UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA (MMAWUSA) OUTRAGED ABOUT THE INJUSTICE FOR CWECWE AND DEMAND SAPS TO GET JUSTICE FOR HER.
MMAWUSA is deeply outraged by the horrific and inhumane ordeal that CweCwe endured at the tender age of seven. Schools should be places of learning, growth, and safety, where children can experience their childhood free from harm—not sites of unimaginable violence.
The epidemic of rape and gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa continues to escalate, yet government institutions, particularly the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities , remain silent and fail to treat this crisis with the urgency it demands. It is unacceptable that the very bodies entrusted with protecting the vulnerable are neglecting their duty.
According to Stats SA, in 2022/23, there were 19,418 reported cases of common assault and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) against children, making up 45% of all reported crimes against minors. Rape was the most frequently reported crime, accounting for 38.3% of cases. Among these atrocious acts is the horrific rape and sodomy of seven-year-old CweCwe, a tragic reminder of the brutal reality children face in a society that claims to protect them. While there has been a slight decrease in reported incidents, the numbers remain alarmingly high, exposing the ongoing failure to safeguard the rights and lives of our most vulnerable.
During the 2025 State of the Nation Address, the government reiterated its commitment to intensifying the fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), with President Cyril Ramaphosa once again describing it as South Africa’s “second pandemic.” However, this commitment remains largely rhetorical when the brutal rape and sodomy of a seven-year-old child, CweCwe, have yet to be acknowledged as part of this crisis.
CweCwe’s mother did everything a parent should—she turned to law enforcement to seek justice for her child, yet she was met with negligence and failure. Her desperate plea for protection and accountability was ignored, highlighting the deep-rooted dysfunction within the very institutions that are supposed to safeguard the vulnerable. If GBVF is truly being taken seriously, then why has the epidemic of child rape not been declared a national emergency? The government’s inaction sends a clear message: the safety and dignity of children remain a low priority.
Even more concerning is that Since October 2024 when Poor Cwecwe’s safety was violated , the school where this horrific violation took place has faced no consequences from the Department of Basic Education. No investigations, no sanctions, no accountability—just silence. This glaring lack of action from an institution responsible for the welfare of children is both disturbing and unacceptable. Schools are meant to be places of learning, safety, and growth, yet when violations occur within their walls, they are met with impunity. Only now, since October, is the Department of Education attempting to impose sanctions against the school—not out of genuine concern, but because the case has gained international attention on social media. Their last-minute scramble to appear competent is nothing short of pathetic. This delayed response exposes a system that prioritizes public image over the actual safety and justice of children. If they truly cared, action would have been taken immediately, not as a performative reaction to external pressure. The department must do better—because the lives and dignity of children should never be an afterthought.
The South African Government and Leaders cannot claim to be combating GBVF while failing to protect its youngest and most vulnerable. The systemic failure in CweCwe’s case is a damning indictment of a government that continues to offer empty promises while failing to act decisively against the atrocities committed against children. If we do not demand urgent and meaningful intervention, how many more children will suffer before real change is made?
MMAWUSA calls for immediate and decisive action to ensure justice for CweCwe and to hold perpetrators accountable. This cannot be ignored any longer—our children’s lives and futures are at stake.
Statement issued by MMAWUSA