Publications
Partners
An ANC councillor in North West is facing a criminal investigation after social media exchanges emerged that seem to confirm a sexual relationship between him and an underage girl.
Screengrabs of WhatsApp messages, allegedly between the 37-year-old ward councillor in the Matlosana Local Municipality in Klerksdorp and a 15-year-old girl, were handed to the police this week. The police have now launched an investigation into a case of statutory rape after a case was opened by the EFF on Thursday.
The opposition party said it found the councillor’s alleged behaviour “disgusting”.
North West provincial police spokesperson Captain Aafje Botma said: “We can confirm that we are investigating a case of statutory rape, but no one has been arrested yet.”
When informed yesterday that a statutory rape case had been opened against him, the councillor said: “I am aware of the case being opened against me and I have been aware of the accusations on social media. I cannot comment on these allegations because I don’t know anything about them.”
The WhatsApp chats show that the councillor and the girl had unprotected sex, which resulted in her allegedly falling pregnant. In the messages, he tells her to have an abortion and assures her not to worry as long as she keeps the liaison a secret.
He appears, at least in one of the chats, to be concerned about saving his political career. He tells her that if news of their liaison becomes known, he will lose his job.
The EFF said: “In a conversation circulating on social media, the ANC councillor is telling the minor not to tell her parents about the pregnancy as he will make sure that she terminates the pregnancy.
“He goes on to tell the minor that if people know that he is the one who impregnated her, he will lose his job and [political] career. Without any shame, this disgusting ANC councillor goes on to request the minor to send [a picture of] her private parts to his WhatsApp, while he sends his [private parts to her].”
Kelebogile Kerileng, EFF deputy secretary, said the chats were proof that the councillor had “this unethical sexual relationship with the minor, knowing very well the repercussions of his deeds”.
“It is common knowledge that, under South African law, a minor cannot consent to sexual intercourse with an adult,” Kerileng said.
The party called on the ANC to take drastic action against the councillor. It said failure to do so would “mean that the ANC condones such behaviour”.
Kenny Morolong, spokesperson for the ANC interim provincial committee, said: “We have noted the grave nature of these allegations and their implications. We wish to reaffirm our full confidence in our law enforcement agencies and the judiciary.
“The ANC will issue a statement once the police have concluded their investigation. At this point, there has been no arrest so it is not only premature to express an opinion on this matter, it could compromise the credibility of the investigation, which must ensue without hindrances,” Morolong said.
The ANC Women’s League in the Bokone Bophirima region said it was “highly disturbed by exchanges” on social media that exposed an ANC councillor who impregnated an underage girl. Bitsa Lenkopane, the league’s acting provincial secretary, said they had spoken to the ANC about the matter and also launched their own investigations to gather more facts regarding the allegations.
“The league has always been clear that the rights and protection of children must take priority. This disturbing allegation surfaces at a time when more cases of gender-based violence are being reported. It’s a matter that calls for all the attention in the country,” Lenkopane said.
“It does not matter if anyone is a councillor or someone holding a position of power and influence, criminals found to be on the wrong side of the law must be punished accordingly.”
She added that the allegations exposed by the social media chats “are very serious and will need to be treated as such, with the high care of the wellbeing of a minor girl”.
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Get in touchCity Press | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rise above the clutter | Choose your news | City Press in your inbox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| City Press is an agenda-setting South African news brand that publishes across platforms. Its flagship print edition is distributed on a Sunday. |
