Africa-Press – South-Africa. An EFF politician has been arrested for the alleged rape of his 5-year-old daughter, just days after the suspect attended a men’s dialogue on gender-based violence in KwaZulu-Natal.
The man, whose name has been withheld by News24 to protect the identity of the child, appeared in the Greytown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
He recently failed in a bid to become an EFF councillor in the uMvoti Municipality.
The case was postponed to 8 August as prosecutors collect more evidence. In May, police released statistics that showed that the province was a rape hotspot.
The Abantu Batho Congress (ABC), which runs the council in a coalition with the ANC, went out in numbers to protest against the man receiving bail.
uMvoti’s Speaker, Mfundo Masondo, an ABC councillor, said the man had been remanded in custody.
EFF provincial secretary, Nkululeko Ngubane, said the party took “firm action” against members and representatives who were on the wrong side of the law.
Ngubane said:
In a memorandum to the court and two police stations in uMvoti, ABC Mayor Philani Mavundla said: “Considering the heinous act of rape against a 5 year old by [the] prominent politician and member of the Matimatolo community, bail [should not be] granted.”
He said the travesty of men believing they “have a sexual entitlement over women and children had once again reared its ugly head”.
“A few years back a woman was raped at the mayoral mansion by the cousin of former uMvoti mayor TC Ngubane,” Mavundla said.
The ABC’s memorandum read:
In a third case, two suspects will appear in court for allegedly raping a woman in Matimatolo on Wednesday, according to the ABC memorandum.
“The two anarchists raped, undressed, and assaulted her after chasing her in her naked state. [The two] are out on bail, which speaks to inconsistency in the justice system,” it said.
“We call on the prosecution to seek that the bail be revoked and the maximum sentence be carried out.”
The memorandum said the cases put gender-based violence in the spotlight.
“There is an animalistic tendency to violate the non-derogable rights of life and dignity,” Mavundla said in the memorandum.
The ABC said it had held a men’s dialogue, themed “Isibaya samadoda [men’s kraal]”, in late July.
“Regrettably, [the suspect] had the arrogance and audacity to be in attendance knowing very well that he is the chief culprit on matters of rape and child abuse.”
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