A social justice campaign that has been gaining momentum across the country has reached the ears of Port Alfred. The #JusticeForCwecwe campaign demanding justice for the child victim of an alleged sexual assault has sparked widespread outrage and calls for action.
At the heart of the movement is a petition that has garnered over 901,000 signatures, urging authorities to take action. The petition refers to an incident in October 2024 that allegedly occurred on the premises of a school in Matatiele.
Port Alfred resident Nolutho Jobela has taken it upon herself to mobilise the local community and has invited members of the public to a march on Saturday, April 5, at 1pm, starting at the Nemato main taxi rank, near Jawuka Hall.
“This movement is important to me and the whole community, as it gives a voice to all the unheard victims, including myself,” Jobela said. “It’s also a testament to the power of unity among our youth, demonstrating that we can achieve great things without social divides and for a greater cause.”
At the time of publishing, Talk of the Town had not yet received a response to our query to Ndlambe Municipality about the march. We asked whether the march had been sanctioned by the traffic department and whether that department had been requested to escort the participants.
Meanwhile, in a statement this week, the South African Police Service said their National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola had tasked the Component Head: Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Investigations (FCS) unit to bolster and oversee the ongoing investigation into the alleged rape of a 7-year-old girl in Matatiele.
Spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the FCS division’s 176 units across the country and its investigators were responsible for investigating gender-based violence and femicide related cases, electronic crimes as well as sexual offences cases involving women, children and vulnerable groups. FCS head Major General Mmantsheke Lekhele was currently meeting with the investigating team to ensure due diligence was conducted in this case and that the chain of evidence was properly preserved.
“Major General Lekhele will meet with persons of interests and key stakeholders such as the NPA to ensure justice and the finalisation of the matter,” Mathe said. “Bringing criminals to book and putting perpetrators of crime behind bars remains a key priority for the SAPS. A comprehensive report will follow on conclusion of the work of the team led by Component Head for FCS.”
Mathe said the police also called for responsible reporting on this sensitive matter, especially on social media.
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, April 3, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
