Minister Motshekga must retract and apologise over rape comments

15 February 2021

The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, to publicly retract and apologise for comments she made this morning while addressing pupils at the Prospectus High School in Tshwane. The Minister told learners that “an educated man won't rape”.

These comments are utterly inappropriate and careless as the pervasive crisis of rape in South Africa knows no social, economic or educational boundaries.

We have taken note of the statement released by the Minister this afternoon in which she doubles down on her inappropriate comments. The Minister’s statement is not enough, she must take ownership of what she said, apologise and retract her comments.

The DA commends the learners of Prospectus High School for dismissing and correcting the Minister. It is encouraging to see how educated these young people are on this very difficult subject of rape.

As for the Minister, she needs to do better and should rather properly educate herself about South Africa’s rape crisis instead of making light of a very painful scourge plaguing our society.

Minister Motshekga would also do well to focus her attention on the issues on the ground at schools where learners still have have to make use of pit toilets; schools still have poor and dilapidated infrastructure; and many schools still haven’t introduced feeding schemes - before she makes any further ill-informed comments on South Africa’s rape crisis.

Issued by Baxolile Nodada, Shadow Minister of Basic Education, 15 February 2021