Johannesburg – The ANC councillor and businessman who was due to appear at the Palmridge Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on rape charges and contravention of a protection order is a free man until the complainant meets the senior prosecutor for further information.
The councillor did not make it to the stand, although he was arrested on Monday evening for the two cases.
In terms of the Sexual Offences Act, the suspect cannot be named until he pleads to the charge.
“The matter was not placed on the roll pending further investigations, the National Prosecuting Authority also requested the investigating officer to bring the complainant to meet with the senior public prosecutor there before making its decision,” said NPA regional spokesperson of the Gauteng Local Division, Phindi Mjonondwane.
Gauteng police had confirmed that they had arrested the 44-year-old suspect on Monday and that he was set to appear in court on Wednesday.
“It’s a travesty that our justice system does not prioritise rape cases. Women and children, who are usually the victims, have to suffer these traumatic experiences while the perpetrators carry on with life as usual. As the leader of the DA in Ekurhuleni and a woman, I strongly condemn what has happened,” said DA leader in Ekurhuleni,Tania Campbell.
Campbell added that the DA was calling on the ANC Ekurhuleni to take immediate action against the councillor pending the outcome of the court ruling.
“We are always urging law enforcement to deal with rape cases fairly because women are being raped and when they go to court, dockets go missing, women are being abused by our police and we are condemning the rape issue that has happened in Ekurhuleni,” said Ekurhuleni ANC Women’s League chairperson Nomadlozi Nkosi.
The ANC Ekurhuleni spokesperson Sunnyboy Masingi was not available for comment.
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Political Bureau
