Julius Malema faces prosecution for ‘child rapist’ claim in Cwecwe case

AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit has succeeded in persuading the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to prosecute EFF leader Julius Malema for crimen injuria after he allegedly branded former Bergview College principal Jaco Pieterse a “serial child rapist”.

The decision follows representations made by the unit on Pieterse’s behalf after a criminal complaint against Malema was lodged at Sophiatown Police Station in June 2025.

The decision confirms that no one is above the law and that political status does not provide protection against criminal prosecution.

The case stems from allegations that a seven-year-old girl, publicly known as Cwecwe, was raped at Bergview College in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, in October 2024. Pieterse and the school’s caretaker became the targets of a vicious social media campaign in November of that year after the NPA declined to prosecute the case due to a lack of evidence.

The assessment included an interview with the child and a medical examination. According to the NPA, these did not produce conclusive evidence of rape or sexual assault.

Prosecutors in the DPP’s office reconsidered the matter and upheld the original decision not to prosecute. The outcome was communicated to police, and the docket was returned to investigators.

Malema, in his own words, has demonstrated a full appreciation of the profound impact false allegations of criminal impropriety have on the dignity of a person – because he has experienced it.

AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit remains steadfast in its belief that no person should be shielded from prosecution because of their political connections or status in society.