SANDF clarifies soldiers seen at #JusticeForCwecwe protests

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has denied claims that its soldiers were deployed to monitor protesters during the #JusticeForCwecwe demonstrations in the Eastern Cape.

This comes after residents of Matatiele took to the streets on Tuesday, demanding justice for the seven-year-old girl who was allegedly raped at her school, Bergview College, in October last year — a case that has sparked national outrage.

DNA samples were collected from two “people of interest”.

Test results revealed that no foreign DNA was detected on the child, who had been subjected to abuse on multiple occasions, according to Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has declined to prosecute due to insufficient evidence.

SANDF clarifies #JusticeForCwecwe protests

Peaceful protests have broken out across the country to highlight the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence (GBV) as investigations continue.

Footage circulating online showed armed, uniformed soldiers providing security alongside police officers in Matatiele, which drew widespread criticism.

While employment of members of the SANDF is a prerogative of the president and the minister, Section 18 (2) and (3) of the Defence Act stipulates that if the president or the minister employs members of the SANDF internally as per Section 201 (2) of the Constitution, they must inform Parliament promptly.

ALSO READ: EFF and ActionSA demand answers over SANDF at #JusticeForCweCwe protest

The SANDF clarified on Wednesday that its soldiers had not been deployed to Matatiele for protest monitoring.

“The SANDF can confirm there has been no such deployment. We wish to state the SANDF has members in the area on border safeguarding duties and nothing else.

“We would like to express sincere regret regarding the incident where our soldiers were seen during the march against GBV in Matatiele,” the military said.

“The SANDF is a gender-sensitive organisation and supports gender programmes.

“We are cognisant of the unacceptable high levels of GBV and the prevalence of violence against women and children, and support any intervention by institutions and citizens aimed at dealing with violence against our women and children,” the statement further reads.

AfriForum criticises Mchunu

Meanwhile, lobby group AfriForum has called on Police Minister Bheki Mchunu to issue a public apology for his comments regarding Bergville College principal, Jaco Pieterse.

In a statement released on Wednesday, AfriForum accused Mchunu of remaining silent for an entire week while false and defamatory allegations were made against Pieterse.

According to the organisation, Mchunu only added fuel to the fire when he issued a press release implicating the principal without evidence.

“The principal was publicly pilloried based on the fictitious claim he had obstructed a police investigation into the rape of a child who attended the school,” the organisation said.

READ MORE: Education department launches blitz on independent schools amid Cwecwe rape case

Advocate Gerrie Nel, who heads AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, criticised the police for failing to clarify that Pieterse was not a person of interest.

Nel also claimed that the minister lied about the principal providing a DNA sample.

“This failure and the contributing disinformation campaign by at least the minister of police has turned an innocent man’s life upside down and exposed him to an ordeal of undeserved life-threatening exposure.

“Bergview College, its staff, the learners and their parents became collateral damage in an entirely avoidable smear campaign,” he added.