Civil rights group AfriForum is calling for a public apology from police minister Senzo Mchunu.
In a statement on Wednesday, the group accused the minister of making false allegations and failing to correctly inform the public on investigations into the alleged rape of a seven-year-old girl at a school in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape.
“Mchunu had the authority and necessary knowledge on the matter to correct the misunderstanding, but he chose to remain silent. He owes [the principal] and the public an apology,” said AfriForum.
AfriForum’s private prosecution unit, led by advocate Gerrie Nel, is representing the principal, who is pursuing legal action in response to what the organisation described as a campaign of “defamation and threats of violence” after the incident.
“Police minister Senzo Mchunu sat handcuffed for a week while defamatory and false statements were made in the media and on social media platforms,” the organisation said.
“The statements were compounded by a media statement from Mchunu's office in which he himself made false allegations about the investigation.”
The alleged rape of the girl on school premises sparked national outrage and protests, and fuelled a wave of accusations, with the principal caught in the crossfire.
AfriForum said the damage caused had been “unprecedented”.
“AfriForum's private prosecution unit represents [the principal] in the case and will advise him further to ensure those who repeated the false allegations are held criminally accountable,” it said.
He was publicly torn apart as a result of "fictitious allegations", it added.
Nel criticised what he called the political exploitation of an innocent person.
“It should never be permissible that an innocent person can be convicted by couch detectives on social media and by prominent persons for their own political gain,” he said.
“The actions overshadowed the responsibility of those with the authority to enforce laws. It is impossible to stand up to the harlot of baseless allegations and uninformed accusations if those with the power to rectify the matter remain silent,” said AfriForum.
The organisation has identified ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, Eastern Cape education MEC Fundile Gade and EFF leader Julius Malema as high-profile figures it intends to prosecute if the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) declines to do so.
“The persons identified to be prosecuted for the defamatory allegations include Mchunu himself.
If the NPA does not wish to prosecute the individuals, the private prosecution unit will continue with private prosecutions.”
AfriForum's private prosecution unit had already clarified the principal’s status in the case, it said.
“The unit released a media statement on March 29 in which it made it clear [the principal] is not a suspect in the rape case and police do not consider him a suspect.”
Nel said the unit would continue its work until those responsible for what it calls “defamatory remarks for political gain” are held accountable.
“Our efforts to ensure there are consequences for those who make defamatory remarks for political gain with the intention of smearing innocent people will not falter.”
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