More than 70,000 people have signed a petition demanding justice after the rape of a seven-year-old pupil in October and full transparency from her school, Bergview College, in Matatiele, Eastern Cape.

The incident of the pupil's sexual assault has gone viral, with social media users expressing frustration at how the police are handling the case, and the principal's (Jaco Pieterse) refusal to submit his DNA for investigation, even though the police deemed him a suspect.

The virtual community came together on Saturday in Braamfontein, Johannesburg and Durban to protest over the incident, calling on #JusticeForCwecwe. The petition is expected to be handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa on April 11 at the Union Buildings.

In a statement released at the weekend, police said: “Three individuals, including the school principal, were identified as suspects. All outstanding statements have since been obtained by the investigating officer. DNA tests have also been conducted. The senior state prosecutor will be consulted in the coming week, whereafter, the family will be provided with feedback on the matter.”

The mother of the victim revealed during a podcast, Hope Revolution, that her daughter was raped on [Monday] October 14 2024.

The mother's name has been withheld to protect the identity of the child. 

“She went to school, came back late and said nothing. On Tuesday, she went to school and she did not say anything. About 6pm, she complained about her stomach and she would then go to the toilet and come back,” she said on the podcast. 

“On Wednesday, she could not walk and when I checked her I realised something was wrong, so we went to the doctor for a consultation. The doctor checked and confirmed that the huge opening [at the back] was [because] of a sexual assault. I ran out of the room crying as I know how sexual assault feels because I am a victim. The doctor checked her on the front as well and confirmed that there's penetration as well, but it's not as deep as the one at the back,” she said.

According to the mother, the child told them that on Monday [when the alleged rape took place] the caretaker instructed her to go sweep the classroom alone and she got tired [and she passed out] until she heard the caretaker saying her school transport driver had arrived.

She said the only thing she could remember before she became unconscious was the smell of a burning tyre. 

On Saturday, the Eastern Cape department of education said it had issued Bergview College with a notice to deregister the school.

“The department views the case in a serious light and sought to take action in the interest of all learners at the school. The school representative received the letter and acknowledged,” read the statement.

The department said it will continue to place the pupils in different schools.

Basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube said that she is being updated on the merits of the case.

“MEC Fundile Gade has assured me that he is taking action and he will keep me updated. I am also taking the matter up with minister [of police] Senzo Mchunu, for him to ensure that SAPS speeds up its investigation. I assure South Africans, we are acting,” she posted on her X account.

Barry Bateman, from AfriForum's Private Prosecution Unit, has defended principal Pieterse.

“Pieterse is not a suspect in the rape case involving a learner at the school, nor [has] SAPS ever regarded him as a suspect that would justify their request for a buccal sample for DNA testing. Further, it is the [prosecution] unit’s understanding that Pieterse had no contact with the victim before the offence being committed, nor is there any evidence that the offence took place on school grounds.

“The investigating officer’s informal request that Pieterse provide a buccal sample was made at the behest of the victim’s mother. Therefore, it is patently untrue that Pieterse has not co-operated with the police in their investigation,” said Bateman. 

Minister Gwarube will on Monday deliver a keynote address at Kingswood College in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, where Uyinene Mrwetyana was a pupil. Mrwetyana was raped and murdered by Luyanda Botha in 2019 at a post office in Cape Town. 

She was 19 years old at the time and was studying towards a degree in media studies at the University of Cape Town.