ANC RESPONDS TO AFRIFORUM CHARGES GBV-F @KASIBC_NEWS

ANC RESPONDS TO AFRIFORUM CHARGES GBV-F @KASIBC_NEWS 

The African National Congress (ANC) has noted the reported laying of charges led by AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit targeting ANC Secretary-General, Cde Fikile Mbalula. This follows public remarks made in condemnation of the rape of a seven-year-old girl at Bergview College in Matatiele. 

The ANC reaffirms its unwavering position on the crisis of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBV-F), which President Cyril Ramaphosa has described as the second pandemic devastating our society. The violation of a child is not only an act of brutality, it is a reflection of systemic failure. 

It demands outrage and urgent action. Our comments were made in that spirit to express the ANC’s collective response to this atrocity, to rally society behind justice for the survivor, and to call for institutional accountability. 

Following the public apology by the Minister of Police regarding the misidentification of an individual, the ANC responded with a formal statement acknowledging the correction and reiterating our support for the survivor and her family. This is the conduct of a movement committed to truth, accountability, and justice. AfriForum’s decision to pursue this matter is disingenuous, ideologically driven, and flawed. 

It reflects a tendency to deflect attention from the pain of victims and the responsibility we all share in building a society free of fear and violence. 

We will not apologise for speaking out in defence of the voiceless. We call on all progressive forces, including our Alliance partners, the ANC Women’s League, youth formations, religious and community organisations, to reject any effort to criminalise outrage and moral clarity in the face of GBV-F. To be silent, to be overly cautious, to apologise for speaking out, is to betray the pain of the survivor and the broader struggle against patriarchal violence. 

The ANC remains guided by the principle that justice for victims must always take precedence over the reputational sensitivities of institutions. We have full confidence in the institutions responsible for crime prevention and justice. We will not be deterred from standing up for those who cannot stand for themselves. 

The ANC reaffirms its support for our Secretary-General, Cde Fikile Mbalula, who carried the voice of millions when he said, “Enough is Enough.” We urge all to act with vigilance against those who exploit the justice system for ideological ends and threatening prosecution against those who defend what is right.