By Malebo Pheme
Bergview College and its principal, Jaco Pieterse, have officially parted ways after a wave of misinformation and public indignation wrongfully accused him of the rape of a seven-year-old learner, Cwecwe.
The school attested that the separation was mutually agreed upon, although the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) declined to prosecute owing to insufficient evidence.
AfriForum’s private prosecution section represents Pieterse, who has insisted on his innocence from the beginning. In a brief interview with eNCA, AfriForum spokesperson Barry Bateman said the principal’s departure resulted from an “intense and harmful disinformation campaign” that threatened his safety.
Bateman told eNCA, “Jaco was falsely accused and linked to a claimed rape at school as a result of this massive disinformation campaign.” Protests at the school and threats against his life came before this. In a sense, he was being driven from his hometown. Both parties decided that his attendance at school became intolerable.
In recent months, public outrage and demands for justice for the child involved sparked protests at the school and sent shockwaves around the nation. But given that there is no solid proof connecting Pieterse to the purported incident, focus is on the people who named him in public.
Bateman affirmed that Pieterse will take legal action against several lawmakers who falsely accused him in public. “We hope that those who make such damaging false claims will be held accountable,” he added, adding that investigating officers have been assigned and criminal proceedings have been filed.
