A former teacher and journalist, accused of allegedly sexually abusing and molesting schoolboys in the 90’s, has been found in the Western Cape after a recently released podcast about his abuses led him to close up his business and leave Cape Town.
Willem Breytenbach refused to comment when he was approached by Netwerk24 at his mother’s home near Mossel Bay.
The podcast series titled My Only Story has been exposing the sexual abuse claims involving Breytenbach. These claims date back more than 20 years and in the podcast, the producer traces the allegations back to the prestigious Grey College in Bloemfontein.
Breytenbach is a former Media24 executive and used to teach at Grey College years before his journalism career began.
A advertising copywriter based in Johannesburg, Deon Wigget, has come forward to tell his story on the podcast. Wigget says that Breytenbach molested and raped him and a number of other young boys. Wiggett launched his own investigation into Breytenbach, in which he reached out to other abuse survivors to confirm Breytenbach’s abuse.
Previously the podcast only referred to the man being accused of these crimes as “Jimmy” but since then enough evidence has been gathered to form a solid case against Breytenbach.
News24 have since received statements from Wiggett and two other men, with Wiggett opening a criminal case against his abuser on Monday. Wiggett told News24 that 13 other people have since come forward with allegations against Breytenbach as well.
Wiggett claims that he was abused by Breytenbach at the young age of 17.
My Only Story is still running and the next episode will be published on November 28.
Currently there is no way to gauge the extent of Breytenbach’s crimes and Wiggett even alludes in the podcast that he may still be actively seeking out young boys. He has also been connected to sexual abuse at two other schools as well as incidents during the period of a school newspaper project that took place during his time at Media24.
Picture: Instagram
