Rape Is the Symptom, Systemic Failure Is the Disease”

Rape Is a Symptom of Systemic Failure

By Noko wa gaMaleka | 15 April 2025 | Joburg News

Matatiele, Eastern Cape – A sweeping wave of public outcry has gripped the Eastern Cape after the National Men’s Forums of South Africa, alongside a coalition of civil society organizations, filed a formal petition demanding urgent intervention in child abuse cases that have shaken the Matatiele and Maluti regions.

The petition, delivered to authorities at the Matatiele Police Station on April 5, paints a disturbing portrait of what activists are calling a “systemic failure” to protect children—failures by educators, law enforcement, and social services alike.

At the centre of this outcry is the widely reported and heartbreaking case of Cwecwe (not her real name), a young girl who was allegedly raped on her school premises. The incident sparked a social media storm, drawing both national media coverage and fierce public reaction. However, the petition challenges the completeness of the narratives in the media, urging journalists and the public to look deeper.

“While the story of Cwecwe has reached headlines, many others have not. For every child whose name becomes a hashtag, there are others silenced by fear, poverty, and institutional neglect,” the petition states.

Cwecwe's life was upended after the alleged assault. Following hospitalization in KwaZulu-Natal, she was reportedly dismissed by her school principal—a decision that, the petition argues, reveals a “callous disregard” for victims. Her family has since fled the area, fearing for their safety.

But hers is not the only voice in the void.

Alu, another survivor, was reportedly raped within the grounds of Vuka Rise Manase Primary School in Maluti. The accused was released due to what the petition describes as “a botched investigation.” Alu’s school environment raises even deeper concerns: civic organizations uncovered that drug rehabilitation patients—young men recovering from substance abuse—were employed as general workers at the school, working in close proximity to young children.

“This is not just a lapse in judgment—it is a catastrophic breach of safeguarding protocols,” the petition declares.

Boy, a child whose name also echoes through the corridors of pain, was abused by an individual affiliated with a nearby rehabilitation centre that shares premises with his school. His behavior has reportedly changed drastically since the incident, and his grandparents say they have received little meaningful support from police or social workers.

In response to these and other unreported cases in the area—particularly on nearby farms—the coalition is demanding swift and sweeping reforms. These include:

The immediate removal of the Station Commissioner at Matatiele Police Station, whom activists accuse of presiding over a culture of inaction.
A presidential working group to address the scale of child sexual violence in the Eastern Cape.
The restructuring and rebuilding of local police stations, including Maluti, to restore public trust.
A national investigation into the employment of recovering drug addicts in school environments.
A full review of the principal’s conduct at Bergview College and other implicated schools.
Targeted mental health and psychological support for survivors and their families.

“We are standing for every child who was told to keep quiet,” said Bishop Bhekimpi Mchunu, national chairperson of Sukumandoda Sakhe, one of the signatories. “Our children are not commodities. They are not the price of silence or systemic failure.”

The coalition includes SANAC Men's Sector, Act Now Against GBVF, Songe Social Change, Voice It In Action, SANERELA+, and more than ten additional local and national organizations working with men, boys, and vulnerable children.

The petition ends with a direct appeal to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Ministers of Police, Education, Health, and Social Development to visit the region within a week and begin a joint task force that places the safety and dignity of children first.