Staff Reporter
March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has opened a criminal case at Durban Central Police Station against Sello Lemonka Gemba over social media remarks in which he allegedly called for her to be raped and killed.
Ngobese-Zuma opened the case on Tuesday.
“At 2pm today I will be at the Durban Central Police Station to open a case against Sello Lemonka Gemba, who invited people to rape and kill me on social media and then went on to say he stands by it,” she said in a social media post.
A social media post purporting to reproduce the comment made by Gemba in isiZulu reads: “u Jecinta kumele adlwengulwe bese eyabulawa”, meaning Jacinta should be raped and then killed.
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The original post attributed to Gemba could not independently be located at the time of publication, and the wording has therefore not been independently authenticated.
The ANC condemned the alleged remarks and called for police to investigate.
“The African National Congress (ANC) condemns in the strongest possible terms the alleged social media remarks attributed to Sello Lemonka Gemba, who is purported to be an ANC supporter, in which he is alleged to have called for the rape and killing of Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, and subsequently indicated that he stood by those remarks,” it said.
“If accurately attributed to him, such utterances are vile, reprehensible and wholly incompatible with the values, traditions and political culture of the ANC.”
The party said there could “never be political, personal or ideological justification for incitement to rape, murder or any form of violence against another person”.
“Whatever disagreements, disputes or differences may exist between Sello Lemonka Gemba and Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, these can never justify or excuse language that allegedly calls for her rape or killing,” it said.
“No disagreement gives anyone licence to threaten the life, bodily integrity or dignity of another person.”
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The party called on police to investigate the allegations “without fear, favour or prejudice” and take action if evidence of criminal conduct was established.
“Social media is not a lawless space, and freedom of expression cannot be distorted into a licence to threaten, intimidate or incite violence,” it said.
It added that if Gemba was found to be an ANC member, the party’s internal processes should also take their course.
