News24.com | ANC ward councillor arrested in connection with statutory rape after explicit video surfaces online

An ANC North West ward councillor was arrested in connection with statutory rape charges after an explicit video surfaced.

• A 40-year-old ANC ward councillor in the North West was arrested in connection with two counts of statutory rape.
• Explicit videos and photos of what appears to be the ward councillor surfaced online.
• Police confirmed that the councillor was also charged with crimen injuria.

A 40-year-old ANC ward councillor in the North West has been arrested in connection with two counts of statutory rape.

This after sexually explicit videos and photos of what appears to be the councillor – who cannot be named to protect his victims, who are minors – surfaced on various social media platforms last week.

Provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone, said the parents of two 15-year-old boys opened the cases against him on Saturday.

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"The public is therefore requested to refrain from recirculating the video," he said.

Mokgwabone said the man also faced a separate charge of crimen injuria, which was opened on Friday. The cases were opened at the Kanana police station.

Asked for comment prior to his arrest, the councillor sent a WhatsApp voice note to News24, saying that he wouldn't be speaking to the media until he had consulted his legal team.

The councillor said: 

He went on to say that News24 was "harassing him" and threatened to hand over the journalist's contact number to his lawyers.

He ended off his voice note with "Stop it".

Responding to the incident, the ANC said that it has received a number of complaints against the councillor from various women.

"Rising from the despicable behaviour, the ANC has suspended membership with immediate effect and therefore he will not be allowed to participate in the movement," ANC spokesperson Tumelo Maruping said in a statement.

The ANC added that the suspension will be in effect until the outcome of the disciplinary process.

"This type of behaviour goes against our values and commitment to building a cohesive society in which all people are treated with respect and dignity. We will therefore not stand idle when such tendencies rear their ugly face. We will act immediately and swiftly to root out such behaviour."