The Bo-Kaap community was left shocked when a young woman, believed to be in her 20s, exposed her well-known grandfather and his twin brother as child molesters and paedophiles in a video uploaded to YouTube.
The video was uploaded on Tuesday, October 20 and has 55 731 views and counting as of Thursday, October 22.
The victim’s grandfather and his brother are both well-respected members of the Muslim Bo-Kaap community, and have both had careers as school principals in Cape Town. According to the video, the twins are currently 85 years old.
In the video, the woman alleges that her paternal grandfather sexually abused her, and that his twin brother is also a child molester.
“They have abused girls for decades. I was five when the abuse started. They abuse girls in their families,” she says in the video. “I know it’s hard for people to believe it because of who they are and how well they’re respected, the things they’ve done for the community. Maybe they’ve helped you, they’ve helped your children with their education.”
She says that each time she’s tried to speak out about the sexual abuse, she has been told to forget about it and “let it go”. Her grandfather and his brother have also not been held accountable despite multiple attempts by the woman to speak out about the incidents.
“It’s been decades and nothing has ever been done,” she says. “I’m asking you not to have your kids tutored by them and not visit them.”
While speaking in the video, she details disturbing incidences of sexual abuse at the hands of her paternal grandfather.
“I would be pinned to the bed and he would hold my wrists above my head and his knees would be pushing into my thighs so I couldn’t move,” she says. “He would say things like ‘let’s kiss like they do in the movies’. He locked me in the garage, I’ve woken up without underwear. I wish I could have done something sooner. I’m doing this so that it stops.”
The video has gone viral on social media, and outraged many. A protest is expected to take place in the Bo-Kaap on Thursday, October 22 in support of victims of gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual assault.
Supporters are expected to gather in front of the Hilton Hotel at 5pm.
Dear everyone. Re: sexual abuse cases in Bo-kaap, there are protests planned for today at 5:00 pm on the corner where the Hilton Hotel is. pic.twitter.com/S3x26ZtLiM
— Zak Senpai (@KamikaZaky) October 22, 2020
The men accused of sexual abuse have been removed from their positions in the Bo Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association, and one of the men has been suspended from his position on the Muslim Judicial Council for South Africa.
#Bokaapwillnotbesilenced #NoVictimWillBeSilenced #WeStandInSolidarity #ProtectOurChildren
Gepostet von Bo Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association am Donnerstag, 22. Oktober 2020
Picture: Wikimedia Commons
