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Thousands marched to the Gauteng Department of Education, demanding justice for Cwecwe and calling for urgent measures to combat gender-based violence in schools. Protesters highlighted the need for comprehensive safety protocols to protect vulnerable learners.
Youth organisations marched to the Gauteng Department of Education offices on Tuesday to protest against rampant gender-based violence in South African schools. Demonstrators demanded justice for seven-year-old Cwecwe, who was raped at school in the Eastern Cape, and a 13-year-old Limpopo girl assaulted by a teacher who remains at large. The protesters called for comprehensive vetting of school staff and enhanced security measures to protect vulnerable learners, particularly girls, from sexual assault within educational institutions
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube linked the tragic 2019 murder of Uyinene Mrwetyana to the recent incident of rape at Cwecwe school. She emphasised that merely feeling angry is insufficient and urged for decisive action to tackle the pressing issues of gender-based violence and femicide.
Speaking at the Uyinene Mrwetyana Memorial Lecture, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube connected the 2019 UCT student murder to recent school rape cases, calling for collective action against gender-based violence that continues to devastate South African communities.
Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga has launched the 'Roots to Rise' campaign and a new National End GBVF Dashboard to track South Africa's progress in combating gender-based violence. The Commission for Gender Equality calls for addressing DNA backlogs and prosecution delays to strengthen the fight against GBVF