Bergview College principal lays criminal charges over rape accusations

Bergview College principal Jaco Pieterse has filed a criminal case against ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, EFF leader Julius Malema and Eastern Cape education MEC Fundile Gade for publicly violating his dignity after allegedly falsely accusing him of the rape of a seven-year-old girl at the school.
Additional charges for violating the Cybercrime and Intimidation Act were also laid against Malema and Mbalula.
Pieterse, who is represented by AfriForum's private prosecution unit, opened the case on Friday at the Sophiatown and Boksburg North police stations and was accompanied by the unit. AfriForum has also instructed its legal team to initiate civil proceedings against Mbalula.
'While I am relieved that the truth has been revealed, I am determined to ensure that people understand that there are consequences for making irresponsible and false allegations on social media and other platforms,' Pieterse said.
The case revolves around the seven-year-old girl in Matatiele who was allegedly raped at the school last year. Pieterse and the school's caretaker were identified in a police statement as the main suspects, and he was criticised for refusing to submit DNA samples to the police.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) dropped the case due to insufficient evidence.
'The consequences of the reckless and malicious statements made against me have had an irreversible and devastating impact on every aspect of my life. The trauma and losses I have suffered will take years, if ever, to heal,' Pieterse said.
The AfriForum unit's spokesperson Barry Bateman said the accusations violated Pieterse's dignity.
'Pieterse was publicly labelled a paedophile, a label that in society's eyes is among the most irredeemable and damning. Pieterse's case is especially serious because his job entails caring for children.
'We expect the police and the NPA to act with haste to ensure there is justice for Pieterse and his family. These are uncomplicated cases. While evidence has been provided to the police, it is still available on media websites and social media platforms,' Bateman said.

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