Polokwane - Limpopo education MEC Polly Boshielo on Saturday condemned two alleged attacks and rapes of school pupils in the province since the gradual re-opening of schools in terms of the coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown regulations.
The Limpopo department of education said it had noted with great concern the reported incidents of school pupils being raped on their way to or when returning home from school.
So far, two cases had been reported since schools reopened for grades seven and 12 on June 8. The affected pupils were reportedly from Ramotshabi Secondary School and Rammutla Primary School in the Blouberg Local Municipality, west of Louis Trichardt, the department said.
"This is most painful, as it targets young people who have opted to brave many other challenges presented by Covid-19 to return to school in pursuit of a better future," Boshielo said in the statement.
He added, "We strongly condemn these cruel and reckless acts and commit to assisting the relevant authorities in catching these perpetrators."
Boshielo called on local communities to cooperate with the South African Police Service (SAPS) during investigations and also to take up their role of protecting women and children in their communities.
The Limpopo education department would continue to work with other relevant provincial government departments to improve safety in communities and raise awareness of gender-based violence (GBV).
Psycho social services to support the victims and the school community were being provided in both of the cases, Boshielo said.