Pretoria - Charges of statutory rape have been laid against City of Tshwane ward councillor Conference John Ntuli, who has had a romantic relationship with a minor schoolgirl.
Police spokesman Thomas Mufamadi said a case was opened at the Atteridgeville police station and was being investigated.
The City of Tshwane, meanwhile, said disciplinary action wouldn’t be instituted against the ANC councillor because of the complexity of the matter.
Mayoral spokesman Blessing Manale said this was mainly because the facts at the city’s disposal pointed to a relationship between two people of consenting age. The girl is now 18 and in Grade 10 at Voortrekkerhoogte High School in Pretoria. Ntuli, meanwhile, is believed to be in his early 50s.
The charges stemmed from the fact that she was still younger than 16 and thus considered to be a minor when their relationship started more than two years ago. The girl, whose identity is known to the Pretoria News, stays in the same street as Ntuli in his Ward 63, Atteridgeville.
Two photographs of them have been doing the rounds on social media platforms. Their lips were locked in a passionate kiss in one photo, with their eyes closed.
The teenager confirmed on her Facebook page that she was indeed in a relationship with the councillor and loved him. The post was removed last Thursday.
Manale said the councillor regretted the embarrassment he had caused the ANC, City of Tshwane and his family by having a romantic relationship with the minor schoolgirl. He also apologised for the amount of pressure and emotional strain which the issue would expose the girl to.
Manale said it would be difficult to look into the nature of the relationship before the young woman turned 18; hence, the city was not acting on the matter.
He said an investigation would require the city to look into the form of the relationship – “whether it was courtship, sexual, etc – and intimacy at that time”.
“The matter being in the public domain creates some form of values and or moral disrepute for the city. But we also believe that disciplinary processes will constitute a witch-hunt, particularly in the absence of a complaint or a criminal charges against Ntuli,” he stated.
Manale said despite charges being laid, no new facts had arisen. “We are therefore not in a position to consider taking any remedial, corrective or disciplinary action until such time that we believe such steps are warranted as the chief whip of council and Speaker remain in consultation.
“Ntuli will account for his personal past life and conduct in a manner befitting a public representative and private citizen.”
ANC Women’s League Gauteng spokeswoman Jacqueline Mofokeng said the family of the girl contacted the league for moral support.
“We spoke to her and she subsequently opened a case at the police station, because it appears the councillor has a case to answer. These allegations are serious,” Mofokeng said.
“However, the law must take its course; it is not for us… to judge. We must respect the rule of law.”
Ntuli is the third ANC Tshwane councillor to be on the wrong side of the law this month; a Pretoria West councillor was arrested for malicious damage to property two weeks ago.
Two days ago, charges of fraud and corruption were laid against councillor Siphiwe Montla at the Akasia police station.
Pretoria News