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A commotion has reportedly ensued outside the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court where a former Mpumalanga MEC is expected to appear for a bail application after he was arrested on Monday for allegedly raping his underage daughter.
Supporters for the former MEC, who is accused along with his stepson of raping another of the daughters, gathered outside the court on Thursday calling for him to be granted bail.
The commotion was reportedly a result of a clash between the MEC’s supporters and those of the EFF who are calling for the court to deny the accused bail.
One of the former MEC’s supporters told an SABC journalist that during his tenure as MEC “his audit has been always clean,” saying that the supporters know the former MEC not only through politics, but personally as well.
“And we know that he has been fighting for gender-based violence, corruption in our area and South Africa because he is occupying public office, he was once an MEC. We are of the view that there isn’t anything wrong about the guy … they want to push him down,” the support said.
The former MEC has reportedly acquired the services of a new lawyer and the matter is expected to resume at 2pm.
The former MEC was on Monday arrested for allegedly raping one of his daughters. He, along with his stepson, appeared in court on Monday and the matter was postponed to Thursday for a formal bail application.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the province has said that it would oppose bail.
NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said since crimes against women and children are prevalent in the area, the NPA takes them very seriously and would oppose bail.
Nyuswa said since the victims are minors, the former MEC and his stepson cannot be named.
The duo were arrested after one of the victims reported her alleged rape to her class teacher, and also reported that she had witnessed the same thing being done to her sister. The teacher then alerted authorities.
The two minors were allegedly repeatedly raped.
(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)
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