The name of Nonjabulo Angel Sabela should be a constant reminder that we need to intensify our fight against rape. If the incident where an eight year old is abducted, raped, killed and has her eyes gouged out is not a reason enough for spirited activism against rape, it means nothing else will ever wake us up,” said the MEC for Education in KwaZulu-Natal Senzo Mchunu during a funeral of Nonjabulo Sabela at King Zwelithini stadium in Umlazi.
Addressing a packed stadium, the MEC painted a rather gloomy picture of the State of South African society. He related numerous stories of many similar incidents where children and elders were raped and killed in the most gruesome of ways. “In the same way that we defeated apartheid, with all its machinery, we need to defeat this scourge,” he said.
Nonjabulo Sabela who was a leaner at Umzwilili Primary School in Umlazi was found dead in a bush (which is inside school premises), with signs that she had been raped. This tragic incident happened on a day when all schools in South Africa were launching their campaign against rape as per the instruction of Minister Angie Motshekga.
During the funeral, the MEC told mourners that a plague that is going to pay tribute to Nonjabulo is going to be erected at Umzwilili Primary School with words that are going to advocate against social ills. He said the department has agreed with the Department of Agriculture that the bush that is in school premises is going to be permanently obliterated.
Umzwilili Primary starts from Grade one to Grade four – in keeping with the Transformation of the schooling System, the MEC said that the department is going to add three Grades so that school becomes a fully-fledged Primary School that ends in Grade seven.
The funeral was also attended by representatives from Ethekwini Municipalities, multitudes of learners, community members as well as Members of Parliament.
