Skip to content

Police minister apologises to Matatiele principal over wrongful rape allegation

# Police minister Senzo Mchunu has issued a public apology to Bergview College principal Jaco Pieterse after wrongfully implicating him in the rape of a seven-year-old girl in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape last October. In a letter to AfriForum’s Gerrie Nel, who is Pieterse’s representative, Mchunu acknowledged the error, confirming Pieterse was never a suspect and had not been asked for a DNA sample. The National Prosecuting Authority had previously declined to prosecute due to insufficient evidence. The incident sparked national outrage through the “Justice for Cwecwe” campaign.