Cape Town – A protest in support of victims of gender based violence and sexual assault is expected to take place in Bo-Kaap today.
This after a video of a young woman claimed sexual abuse at the hands of her grandfather, a well-known Cape Town educator and principal, in a video that has since gone viral.
The protest is set to take place at 5pm at the Hilton Hotel.
In a video titled Exposing Paedophilia by Community Leaders in Cape Town, the young woman gives details of the alleged abuse which she says started at the age of 5.
The video, released on Tuesday, has since been widely shared and several have conveyed messages of support for the young woman.
In the video she says she was not the only victim and other women had been sexually assaulted over a period spanning more than 50 years, by her grandfather and his brother.
The two men identified in the video are both 85-years old, both former principals and former physics and mathematics educators, currently residing in the Bo-Kaap.
The young woman, who lives in Jordan, alleges the sexual abuse ended when she was 11, when she moved with her parents out of the country.
They had lived on the same property as her grandfather in Bo-Kaap.
Bo-Kaap resident and protest organiser Shafwaan Laubscher said in light of the recent video, the protest and awareness campaign was necessary at this particular time.
“We are living in a horrible time whereby this type of abuse to our womenfolk and children is happening far too often, in fact it should never ever be this way. It is time we as men stand up to abuse in any form and to the perpetrators, it's time men stand up and be counted and call out this type of behaviour from men. We are supposed to be the protectors of our womenfolk and children.
“We as communities and leaders in our communities need to break our silence.
“It's time we educate and eradicate these types of acts from occurring.”
The Muslim Judicial Council released a statement on the video and said one of the men mentioned, a member of its Education Board, had since been suspended.
“The Muslim Judicial Council SA notes with great concern the social media clip in which serious allegations of sexual molestation and paedophilia are levelled against two prominent Cape Town men. One of those against whom these allegations have been levelled serves on the Education Board of the MJC and has subsequently been suspended with immediate effect until further notice,” read the statement.
“We condemn all acts of sexual molestation and abuse of women and children. Crimes of this nature are abominable, and the processes of the law must be fully instituted.
“Our sympathy goes out to all who are suffering from any form of violation. The MJC encourages those who have fallen victim to crimes of this nature to break their silence and to seek legal recourse.”
Cape Argus