Afrikaner civil rights organisation Afriforum has recently been at the receiving end of some country-wide backlash for their decision to represent Jaco Pieterse, who has been named as a suspect in the tragic rape case of Cwecwe.
The horrifying case of the rape of a seven year old Eastern Cape-based Bergview College learner who has been identified as Cwecwe has quickly sent the nation into a standstill as citizens call for justice to be served to the perpetrator of the shocking crime.
The school’s principal, Jaco Pieterse, has been revealed as one of three suspects in the case. He has been the target of some backlash after it was revealed that, unlike the other two suspects, he refused to provide authorities with a buccal sample, which could’ve cleared his name.
To make matters more interesting, public letters sent to the South African Police Service (SAPS) have revealed that lobbyist group Afriforum has opted to take him on as its representative despite popular belief of his involvement in the case.
AfriForum challenges SAPS over DNA request in school r*pe case
AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit has called on the South African Police Service (SAPS) to provide concrete evidence linking Jaco Pieterse, principal of Bergview College in Matatiele, to the r*pe of a… pic.twitter.com/EaQAABpa0j
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) March 31, 2025
Citizens from various corners of the country, including Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons With Disabilities Steve Letsike, have not held back their criticism of the lobbyist group for this decision, labelling this as merely another case of white privilege.
Shame on AfriForum!!!! This time they went too far.
They are proudly standing up for Jaco Pieterse, a WHITE rapist that raped a minor. I’m sure AfriForum is paying for the legal fees of those white men that shot 2 black women dead and fed their lifeless bodies to the pigs.
— T H A B I L L I O N (@ThabisoMalatj27) March 29, 2025
This is the letter from @afriforum defending their client Jaco Pieterse, the principal of Bergview College in Matatiele. Who refused to have his DNA samples collected to aid in identifying the perpetrator after a 7 year old child was raped at his school. Afriforum called this… pic.twitter.com/HszYlPcPW2
— Mr Kaplan (@Neli__LB) March 29, 2025
Gugu Khathi, wife of popular producer DJ Tira, is among those who have condemned Afriforum, stating that the group’s effort and wishes to ‘make South Africa great again’ include protecting criminals such as Jaco Pieterse. According to Gugu, Jaco and Afriforum are the only things standing between Cwecwe’s parents and the whole country from getting one step closer to finding out who is responsible for what happened to the young learner on that fateful day.
DJ Tira’s wife, Gugu Khathi, slams AfriForum for representing suspect in Cwecwe case.
##JusticeForCwecwe pic.twitter.com/dDoRGtrgHW
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) March 31, 2025
A woman has furiously called out AfriForum for its decision to represent Jaco Pieterse, the principal of Bergview College, who is a suspect in the r*pe case of seven-year-old Cwecwe.#JusticeForCwecwe pic.twitter.com/Ogg6plVk0G
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) March 31, 2025
Also see: Calls for justice for Cwecwe shuts Eastern Cape school
