Johannesburg - The rape accused grandson of a Struggle icon is being treated at the 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
This was revealed on Friday morning to The Star by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), after the the accused applied to have his bail conditions relaxed by the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The accused was arrested earlier this month for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl at a Greenside bar and restaurant on August 7.
While he admitted sex occurred, he has stated it was consensual and that the complainant misrepresented her age.
On Tuesday, the accused was granted R7 000 bail and ordered to report twice a week to the Norwood police station while he awaits his trial.
However, according to NPA spokeswoman Phindi Louw, the accused arrived at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday in a bid to have his bail conditions made less onerous, and alter the police station to which he would report.
Louw said the accused had cited his treatment for PTSD as the reason that he would rather report to the Lyttelton police station in Centurion twice a week.
It is understood the PTSD was linked to the case.
SA National Defence Force spokesman Brigadier Xolani Mabanga told The Star on Friday morning that patients had to be either members of the SANDF or a dependant of a member of the SANDF to be treated at 1 Military Hospital - or a senior government official.
However, by the time of publication, Mabanga was unable to confirm why the accused was being treated at the facility or his possible links to the military.
South African National Defence Union spokesman Pikkie Greeff denied that senior government officials were allowed treatment at the hospital.
He said regardless of the accused’s grandfather’s status, it would not be possible for a family member two generations down to be treated at the hospital.
If the accused was receiving special treatment, Greeff said it would be “highly unacceptable”.
“The hospital is reserved for the SANDF. He would be depriving a service member and their family space for treatment,” said Greeff.
On Tuesday during his formal bail application, the accused claimed he did not want special treatment during his trial.
Further details on the rape incident were revealed in court, with sections of the complainant’s version of events read out to the court.
According to the 15-year-old, the accused had forcefully kissed her in a dark passage before sexually assaulting her.
However, the defence was able to produce an affidavit from a chef who was working the night of the incident, and saw the kiss.
According to the statement, he believed the kiss was “intimate” and consensual.
He described the couple as “comfortable and familiar”. He said had the 15-year-old screamed or struggled, he would have heard it.