The protesters were furious. They tugged on the gate of the school where the mother said her 7-year-old daughter had been raped. They demanded that the school be closed, and threatened to burn it down.

Demonstrators in the small town of Matatiele, South Africa — known for its pristine, litter-free streets — have been furious ever since videos of the mother, Thandekile Mtshizana, were posted online a couple of months ago describing her daughter’s account of being assaulted at Bergview College.

The clips drew millions of views and have turned the case of the girl, known online by the pseudonym Cwecwe, into the latest flashpoint in South Africa’s long battle against sexual violence. In rural communities like Matatiele, the case of Cwecwe has touched a nerve.

“This time we say it cannot be business as usual,” said Thapelo Monareng, a retail worker who took time off work to attend the protest. “We are here to say enough is enough.” The police say the probe is ongoing and sensitive.

New York Times News Service