Bergview Collage in Matatiela, Eastern Cape, has recieved a notice of deregistration following an alleged rape case of a seven-year-old girl that happened in October 2024. Image: Jacaranda FM.
(The Post News)– An independent school in Matatiela, Eastern Cape, has been deregistered following an alleged rape report of a seven-year-old learner. Reports state that the incident occurred on October 14, 2024, at the Bergview College school while the now eight-year-old was waiting for transport.
Speaking to DRUM magazine, the victim’s mother and an alleged rape survivor, Thandekile Mtshizana, detailed how she came to learn about the “traumatising” incident, which has devastated the entire family. Mtshizana asserted that she reported the matter at the school, and the school failed to look into the matter and find her daughter’s rapist.
According to Mtshizana, the school gave them a transfer letter for Cwecwe, which they never requested. According to The Citizen, a letter signed by the school’s principal, FJ Pieterse, stated that though the parents had not formally asked for a transfer, the school would prefer to provide one given the current situation.
Siviwe Gwarube, the minister of basic education, has expressed heartbreak over the incident. She confirmed the incident on Friday, noting that she spent 48 hours engaging with the Eastern Cape Department of Education to acquire facts on the case and find out the department’s way forward. According to Gwarube, the best thing that can be done now is ensuring that justice is served for Cwecwe and her family.
She also said that the Eastern Cape’s MEC of Education, Fundile Gade, has assured her that he is working on the matter, and he will inform her of any advancement. Moreover, Gwarube said that she has been in contact with Senzo Mchunu, the minister of police, to ensure that the police accelerate their probe.
The Eastern Cape Department of Education has stated that a notice, with intent to deregister Bergview College, which is situated in the Alfred Nzo West District, had been issued. The department said that one of the prerequisites for reregistering private schools is that they need to offer a safe and secure learning environment.
According to the department, Bergview Collage violated the safety standards for pupils in relation to the “rape case,” the ongoing investigation, and the manner in which the incident was handled. The department acknowledges that a rape case was filed in October 2024, but is worried that no progress has been achieved.
Moreover, the department has blamed the school of the lack of advancement in the case, noting that it is concerned with the principal’s unwillingness to work with the police. Meanwhile, on Friday, the school received a letter of deregistration notice, which was set to take effect in 24 hours.
A process of enrolling Bergview Collage learners to nearby schools will be initiated, and the department remains dedicated in making sure that the safety and well-being of learners in schools is a priority.
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