Admin
11 Sep, 2025
Alleged rape of 8 Soweto boys at gunpoint; are our children safe at school?
Media Statement by Thandi Nontenja, MP and UDEMWO Secretary General The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) notes with deep concern reports that eight boys from Khomani Primary School in Diepkloof, Soweto, were allegedly drugged by a fellow grade 7 learner and subsequently raped at gunpoint by an adult. We are shocked, outraged and devastated by this heinous act. This tragedy highlights how sexual violence against learners is escalating; this is an unacceptable and recurring crisis in South Africa’s education system. This case is a painful reminder that boys too are vulnerable to sexual abuse, and that our fight against gender-based violence must recognise the suffering of all children. It is deeply disturbing that a learner was seemingly coerced into participating in this appalling act, which speaks to the urgent need for greater vigilance, education, and support as no child should ever suffer such violence in or near a school. UDEMWO welcomes the quick arrest of a suspect in this matter and calls for a thorough, transparent investigation to make sure every detail is uncovered. The perpetrator must face the full might of the law, and no leniency should be shown for crimes of such brutality against children. We further call on authorities to strengthen protective measures in schools, to prioritise psychosocial support for survivors and to ensure that communities are mobilised to create safe and nurturing environments for all learners. Anything less than justice for the victims would send a dangerous message that our children’s lives and dignity are negotiable.
Admin
17 Apr, 2025
US pastor saved by SAPS; now save our children
Media Statement by Thandi Nontenja, MP and UDEMWO Secretary General The United Democratic Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) notes the successful rescue of the American pastor who was kidnapped in Gqeberha. We commend the swift and coordinated response by the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) multidisciplinary units, which led to the neutralisation of the suspects and the safe recovery of the victim. This operation demonstrates what can be achieved when our law enforcement agencies act decisively and collaboratively. Too often, kidnappings in South Africa are driven by ransom demands a terrifying reality for victims and their families. The pastor’s case, although foreign in nationality, highlights a problem that affects our own people daily. We must now turn the same urgency and coordination toward the heartbreaking epidemic of missing South Africans, particularly children. According to recent reports, over 600 children have been reported missing in 2024 alone, with dozens still unaccounted for. Among these tragic cases is that of Joshlin Smith, whose disappearance from Saldanha Bay shocked the nation and remains unresolved. The lack of closure in such cases is devastating to families and communities alike. We urge SAPS to apply the same multidisciplinary expertise and urgency shown in the Gqeberha rescue to the ongoing crisis of missing persons across South Africa. Every missing child, woman, or man deserves the same energy, resources, and attention. It is time that we stop treating these disappearances as isolated incidents and recognise them as a national emergency that demands immediate and consistent action. The UDEMWO stands in solidarity with the families of the missing. We will continue to push for accountability, effective investigations, and real outcomes. We call on government to prioritise the safety of our people; all of them. We furthermore urge the families and caregivers of missing children to report such incidents to the SAPS immediately; do not delay, even by a few hours. The 24-hour waiting period is a myth. Time is of the essence when a child goes missing, and swift reporting significantly increases the chances of a safe recovery.
Admin
27 Jan, 2020
Enough is Enough: Laticia Jansen
The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation is totally flabbergasted with the ongoing behaviour of violence within schoolers in South Africa. Every day, every week, we wake up to devastating news of yet another learner that has lost a life. This has become a norm in our society, with so many questions left unanswered. Sending your children to school to get education nowadays simply means you are sending them straight to death, isn’t “Education the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world?” Clearly it is not, if death of our children is the price. The UDEMWO calls on the School-governing bodies and serve its purpose thoroughly, what we are witnessing at the moment as South Africans is pure disaster, the SGBs are failing dismally. Our children spend most of the day at school, The Educators should take full responsibility of what happens to them, In Leticia’s case the school transport driver that left her behind is as guilty murderers. He must be apprehended as soon as possible. The UDEMWO calls on all school to have control measures when it comes to picking up scholars, and if the scholar isn’t boarded on the transport, the teachers and the parents should be made aware. The government should take these cases serious as this is getting out of hand by day. To the Jansen family; We send our heartfelt condolences. May your precious princess rest in eternal peace. Issued by: Ms Thandi Nontenja UDEMWO Secretary
