GOOD Statement by Sarah Mabotsa,
GOOD City of Tshwane Councillor and MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning
16 February 2025
The GOOD Party is appalled by the videos confirming the disgusting and degrading acts of sexual abuse and assault. We welcome the investigations by SAPS and the South African Human Rights Commission that have been launched into these incidents.
That these videos have allegedly been released by those seeking to extort money has on one hand served to expose the injustices and dehumanising actions and abuse by the perpetrators, but has also impaired the dignity of those persons exposed in the videos.
It is a contravention of the Cybercrimes Act, Films and Publications Act and Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act) to share or distribute private photographs or films without the consent of the persons in those photographs or videos. GOOD expects the dignity of all victims to be protected by the law and appeals to the public to not share these videos.
GOOD notes that the Democratic Alliance (DA) yesterday released a statement regarding their investigations into the Zanzou nightclub. The DA stated that “if the City [of Tshwane] was doing its job, businesses would not have the confidence to take the law unto themselves.”
We agree. These abuses and degrading actions took place in January 2023, during the 7th year of the DA’s administration of the City of Tshwane. The January 2023 videos are perhaps a testament to the state of law and order in Tshwane under the DA’s 2016 to 2024 period of governing the capital city. The loss of law and order in Tshwane’s inner-city and surrounds has consequences. As the DA itself has indicated, if the City of Tshwane was working effectively in January 2023, then perhaps these abuses could have been prevented.
Since the new multi-party executive was elected in October 2024, of which GOOD is part of, the City of Tshwane has embarked on a sustained campaign of bylaw enforcement, business compliance assessments and inner-city improvements led by the executive. Non-compliant businesses have been shut down and these campaigns will continue as we work to improve the state of compliance, safety and cleanliness in Tshwane.
Media enquiries:
Sarah Mabotsa, GOOD: City of Tshwane Councillor
Cell no: 0646848640
Email: smabotsamuthivhi@gmail.com
Samantha Jackson, GOOD: Media Manager
Cell: 083 5509875
Email: samantha@forgood.org.za