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. This is according to a report in News24.
The man, whose name has been withheld 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 councilor in the uMvoti Municipality (Greytown).
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 and a councillor for the ABC, Mfundo Masondo, 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: ‘It’s important to note we don’t have the step-aside policy. We believe we must follow court processes. It’s important to state that it is an allegation… no matter how we feel’.
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’.
‘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.’