Africa-Press – South-Africa. An ANC ward official in Gauteng is standing accused of raping a 16-year-old girl and trying to buy her silence with R100.
The 34-year-old, who is an ANC secretary in a ward north of Johannesburg, made his first appearance in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday for rape.
According to police spokesperson Captain Tinyiko Mathebula, the man, who cannot be named before he has pleaded, allegedly lured the teenager into his place and raped her.
He said: He then allegedly gave her R100 in an effort to silence her.
Mathebula added when the matter was brought to the police’s attention, the suspect was swiftly arrested on Friday.
The man appeared in court on Monday wearing an all-black ensemble of sweatpants and sweater.
He indicated to the magistrate he had a legal aid lawyer who would be representing him.
His case was then postponed to 12 December for further investigation and a formal bail application.
After court, family and friends flanked the politician’s wife, who burst into tears.
When News24 tried to approach her for comment, her friends and family said she was not in a state to talk about the case.
“We will not be commenting on this issue,” one woman said.
The girl’s father said he found out about the incident when she confided in him on her birthday.
In a statement issued on Monday, the official’s ward issued a statement saying it was in shock.
Its chairperson said while they respected the principle of innocent until proven guilty the ward’s official position was to support the victim.
“The branch executive committee had agreed that the alleged perpetrator would immediately step aside as he has been officially charged,” said the statement.
The chairperson encouraged ANC members, supporters, and the community to support the victims of violence against women and children.
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