Penuel Mlotshwa has issued a formal apology for his controversial X post about rape victim Cwecwe. The podcaster was condemned by South African social media users for questioning the credibility of the seven-year-old victim.
This comes shortly after Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu revealed that there were no witnesses, no suspects, and no foreign DNA found in the rape investigation.
PENUEL APOLOGISES FOR CWECWE TWEET
Hours after deleting his initial tweet, Penuel Mlotshwa returned to his X account to apologise for his controversial views.
He tweeted, “Many people took offense to the post and pointed out where I erred. I then deleted it after a few minutes; however, some people had already screengrabbed it and started sharing it.
“I apologize to everyone who was offended by the post. That was not my intention. Hence why I deleted it once people called me out. Secondly, I’m fully aware that rape is a very sensitive crime, worse when it’s a young child. We must protect our children at all times. And make them feel safe and heard.
“I was wrong to use the wording I used. We should listen to and believe children when they tell us about what they’ve experienced.
Penuel admitted that he was aware that several doctors had confirmed that Cwecwe had been raped.
He continued: “I was out of line for what I wrote. Even though my intentions were never malicious. I apologize for the post and to the victim and her family.
“I am sorry; I withdraw and withdrew the post unreservedly and hope that Cwecwe and her family will get justice.
Penuel then encouraged parents to remain vigilant and to “find ways to keep our children safe from predators.”
WHAT DID HE SAY?
In an X post – which has since been deleted – Penuel Mlotshwa commented about his views on the DNA samples taken from three persons of interest in the rape of Cwecwe.
As revealed in an update by Minister of Police Senzo Mchunuon Friday, 4 April, there are no witnesses, no suspects, and no foreign DNA found in the rape investigation.
Penuel tweeted: “I don’t see this case going any further, to be honest. The credibility of a seven-year-old is also questionable, even if she pointed out the perpetrator.
“At this point, we can’t even confirm if she was really raped or not. It’s tough.”
DO YOU BELIEVE PENUEL’S APOLOGY ABOUT CWECWE IS SINCERE?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
