Trigger warning: This article mentions the sexual assault of a minor and references gender-based violence (GBV).
A group of Stellenbosch University (SU) students recently joined protestors in Cape Town for a national shutdown in honour of a child who was allegedly sexually assaulted at her school in the Eastern Cape.
Protestors walk through the streets of Cape Town towards the Department of Education as part of the #JusticeforCwecwe national shutdown on 1 April. PHOTO: Reid Donson
SMF News attended the protest on 1 April, which saw residents from around Cape Town, including students from SU, the University of the Western Cape (UWC), and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), march to the Western Cape department of education in the Cape Town city centre.
“We [are] just here as students standing in solidarity because this is an atrocious issue that needs to be addressed,” said Lihle Baleka, a second-year BA (Sustainable Development) student at SU, and Student Representative Council (SRC) chairperson for womxn and queer empowerment (WAQE).
The shutdown comes after a 7-year-old girl, referred to in the media as Cwecwe, was allegedly raped at Bergview College in Matatiele, Eastern Cape. The incident occurred in October 2024, while Cwecwe was waiting for her transport outside of school. This triggered a national uproar, as many claim Bergview College, which has since been deregistered, did not handle the situation properly.
Protestors gathered with their signs in the Cape Town city centre on 1 April. Some boards specifically addressed Cwecwe’s case, like the one pictured above, while others called for an end to gender-based violence in general. PHOTO: Reid Donson
“What has happened is unacceptable,” said Elokusa Zondi, a third-year Information Systems student at UWC, when asked his reason for attending the protest. “We feel Cwecwe’s pain. She is not alone. Her struggle is our struggle.”
After reaching the Western Cape department of Education, protestors demanded that the member of the executive council (MEC) for Education accept their memorandum, while another group of protestors marched to parliament.
Protestors gather in front of the Western Cape department of education in central Cape Town, demanding that the member of the executive council for Education accept their memorandum. PHOTO: Reid Donson
“I want justice for Cwecwe,” said Thandeka Shuping, a first-year Bcom (Management Sciences) student at SU. “This is not only Cwecwe’s story, but [the story of] most South Africans.”
Gender-based violence a national issue
While sparked by Cwecwe’s story, the protest also stood against the broader issue of GBV in SA, according to Reagan Johnson, a third-year BA (Humanities) student at SU and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Youth Command (YC) coordinator for the Stellenbosch region.
“It’s a national shutdown and a national activity happening in all the nine provinces to support victims [of] gender-based violence,” said Johnson. “Cwecwe is a [rude] awakening […] It’s a collective group of things, but we are running under the banner of Cwecwe.”
“The municipality strongly condemns the abuse that took place at Bergview College,” reads a media statement from Matatiele Municipality, which was shared with SMF News. “Support measures [are] in place for the family and individuals recovering from the impact of this tragic incident.”
Stellenbosch University (SU) students prepare for the #JusticeforCwecwe protest in Cape Town by making protest boards. Avuzwa Gana, a third-year BA (International Studies) student and chairperson of the South African Students Congress (SASCO) at SU, writes #Justice for Cwecwe on a protest board. PHOTO: Reid Donson