An Eastern Cape principal was arrested on allegations of raping a matric pupil. The incident is one of two cases of rape to have allegedly taken place on school grounds this week. Also, on Saturday, three special needs pupils were allegedly raped by peers at a hotel during a school outing. Duncan Alfreds, News24″
Two more pupils were allegedly raped in the Eastern Cape, bringing the number of girls sexually attacked, since Saturday night, at least to five. In the latest incident, a principal at a school in Ntabankulu was arrested for allegedly raping a Grade 12 pupil in his office on Thursday.
The province’s Education MEC, Fundile Gade, said the incidents had left him numb and traumatised. Gade, who described the incident involving the principal as “shocking”, said: “It is alleged that the perpetrator repeatedly raped the victim several times in his office, and threatened to kill the victim should she report the matter to the police.”
Eastern Cape police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli, said a 59-year-old man was arrested and would appear in court on Monday. “The circumstances surrounding the incident are forming part of the investigation,” said Nkohli. Gade’s spokesperson, Vuyiseka Mboxela, said the school principal was accused of the crime.
In a separate incident, a 13-year-old Grade 7 pupil, at a primary school in the same area, was allegedly raped on the school premises on Tuesday.
Gade said that, in the report provided to his office, the district office said the pupil was found lying unconscious in one of the school toilets, with both hands tied. The police were called to the scene. Teachers took the pupil for a check-up at the nearest hospital, where it was confirmed that she had been raped. Gade said it was shocking that gender-based violence in some of the province’s schools was being perpetuated by the people who were expected to protect the pupils.
“I am deeply saddened and ashamed by these acts, which are a clear indication of a moral decay in our society, and the deficiency of values and principles guiding humanity. Schools should be regarded as centres of community life, not centres of such criminality. As a sector, we will strengthen our efforts in denouncing all these ills within our society that spill over to our schools,” Gade said.
He said the department had dispatched teams to provide psychosocial support at both schools. The two alleged attacks came after police also investigated the reported rapes of three girls from a special needs school in Qonce, during a school outing to Gqeberha on Saturday night.
The alleged incident took place in a hotel. The girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by boys from the same school. Gade revealed on Monday that the school participated in a singing competition. The girls’ choir won the regional competition.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana said cases of rape and sexual assault were opened “after school children, aged between 14 and 20, from King William’s Town (now Qonce) were reportedly raped by young boys from the same school”.
