Crimen injuria case opened against woman who called Ramaphosa an ape ‘acting like a first world president’
The woman accused the government of being at fault for the current national lockdown and the novel coronavirus pandemic.
President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members before their deployment ahead of the national Covid-19 shutdown, Pretoria, 26 March 2020. Picture: GCIS
A case of crimen injuria has been opened against a woman from Pinetown after she reportedly sent a Facebook page request suggesting that President Cyril Ramaphosa is an ape pretending to act like a president of a first-world country.
The woman accused the government of being at fault for the current national lockdown and the novel coronavirus pandemic, reports Vaal Weekblad.
The man who reported the accused did not want to reveal his identity, but he was offended and found the post to be in bad taste.
“On the 23rd of April, I went up to my nearest police station in Brighton Beach to lodge a complaint and open a case against a lady that sent a Facebook page suggesting that the president is an ape pretending to act like a president of a first-world country. I did find the post distasteful and I did [not] hesitate to open up a case.”
On Wednesday, national police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo confirmed that a case of crimen injuria had been opened and was under investigation by Brighton Beach SAPS.
“The case was registered at Brighton Beach Police Station at about 8pm on Tuesday. We believe an arrest, in this case, is imminent. The incident has caused an uproar on social media as the post went viral. This has also led to heated debates on social media.
“The woman who allegedly made the post has since deactivated her profile on Facebook,” Naidoo said.
She has not been arrested yet.
General secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) Zwelinzima Vavi added his voice to social media critiques, tweeting on Thursday that he hoped she would be in a “congested prison cell before she [sleeps] tonight”.
A good South African from Durban went straight to the police station after seeing a spoilt brat Facebook page calling the President an ape acting as a President of the first world. Hoping she will be counted in a congested prison cell before she sleep tonight! #lockdownextension
— Zwelinzima Vavi (@Zwelinzima1) April 23, 2020
Vavi was released from hospital earlier this month after contracting Covid-19.
This after having persistent flu-like symptoms for days on end, he said.
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