Walking to protest against rapes

MANKWENG – MEMBERS of the DA walked with learners from Magaedisha Secondary School in Pae Pae village near Mankweng on Monday to show support to several school girls who had reported that they had been raped on the way to or from school in February.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a teacher from the school said she knew there had been three rapes and one attempted rape in February alone. She said rapists targeted the girls who had to walk a long way through the veld to and from school.

Gr. 11 learner, Lovedelia Senyolo, said she walked a total of three hours to and from school every day. She said the rapes left her in fear of walking to school.

“We now walk in larger groups to protect each other. Sometimes my brothers have to walk me to school to protect me,” she said.

DA Limpopo leader, Jacques Smalle, said they decided to walk with learners to understand the plight of learners who walked for hours to school and back every day.

“This solidarity walk is the beginning of the DA’s plea to the education department, the ruling party and the premier to facilitate learner transport to schools,” Smalle said.

Education spokesperson, Paena Galane, said tenders had been implemented from November last year for learner transport and the schools had to submit their requests to their local education circuit offices to receive transport.

DA Limpopo chairperson, Langa Bodlani, said they were going to put pressure on the government to make learner transport one of their main priorities.

“The rapes are a violation of these girls’ human rights. They are supposed to feel safe at home, school and on the way to school.”