Two pupils raped on school grounds

TWO 14-year-old Breidbach Senior Secondary School pupils were raped at knife-point on Wednesday by two men who dragged them to a secluded area on the school grounds during break.

Education department spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said three pupils were sitting behind a classroom when they were approached by the two men.

After demanding cellphones, which they did not have, two of the girls were dragged to a bushy area not far from the classrooms where they were raped.

According to Mtima, there is no fence behind the school because it was stolen, which made it easy for the thugs to gain entry onto the grounds, and escape again afterwards.

He said the principal had since made an urgent request to the department for a fence.

The pupils cannot be identified both because they are minors and due to the nature of the crime.

“Right after the incident, the pupils went to the principal and they were rushed to the hospital and later taken to the police station, where their statements were taken and two rape cases were opened.”

Police spokeswoman Lieutenant Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed that two cases of rape were being investigated. No arrests have been made. “Police are following up on leads to try and track the suspects down,” she said.

Mtima said all three pupils are to receive trauma counselling.

“It is a very sad day for the department to hear such reports of pupils being raped at their own schools.

“What makes this even worse is that it happened during school hours.

“We will be providing counselling for these pupils so they don’t have to go through this alone.

“We are also pleading with the community to assist police where they can to identify these suspects so they can be caught and face the full wrath of the law.” — zisandan@dispatch.co.za