Police ministry provided update on 'Justice for Cwecwe'

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu gave an update on Friday on the case of a 7-year-old girl from the Eastern Cape who was reportedly raped at her school in Matatiele.

The South African Police Service in the area has been criticised for their handling of the case, which sparked widespread demonstrations under the banner ‘’Justice for Cwecwe.’’

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Mchunu said no foreign DNA was found on the child.

“The investigation generally followed the correct processes, but with challenges. This is a case without witnesses, involving a minor, and – as crucial as DNA would be it would be – it would not be complete in that you would not be able to do the necessary comparison.”

At the same time, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has clarified that the three people whose DNA was taken were not suspects.

“We spoke about three people of interest. This does not necessarily mean that those people are suspects. The first investigating officers did their investigations, and it was identified that there were three people that they could bring closer [ to the investigation]. The DNA of these three has been taken and will be analysed. But they are not suspects.”

Earlier this week, Minister Mchunu confirmed that the school principal had also submitted his DNA following days of public criticism over his initial refusal.

No arrests have been made since the incident occurred in October last year.

The minister described the case as complex, but he assured South Africans that police were working hard to get to the bottom of it.

‘’I must stress that due to the sensitive nature of this case and the legal processes involved, we cannot disclose further details at this stage. What I can promise, on behalf of the Ministry of Police and the SAPS, is that we are committed to upholding the law and ensuring that justice is served. The full extent of the investigation will be pursued, and no effort will be spared in bringing the responsible parties to account. We do welcome the support from various sister departments and we call for a streamlined approach in respect of what is communicated.’’

‘’Moving forward, we are going to focus more attention on the victim in terms of providing the necessary support assessments and rehabilitation. We would want to see a situation where the truth comes out and the perpetrator of this crime is brought to book. We will continue to support the family and the victim through our Employee Health and Wellness unit including any other aspects related to this case. We assure the affected family of our full support and commitment to this case,’’ added Mchunu.

The police minister said the ministry will come down to Matatiele in the coming weeks to update the family on progress.

 

Done By: Mitchum George