Call for calm

JOHANNESBURG - The DA has referred Police Minister Bheki Cele to Parliament over a comment he made about a horrific gang rape of eight women in Krugersdorp recently, saying it demonstrated how deeply unsuitable he is for the position.

In a conversation with eNCA, the minister gave details about the shocking attack, including that one woman had been raped by 10 men.

He said one of the women ‘was lucky - if it is lucky’ to be raped by just one man.

“One woman was raped by 10 different men. The other one by eight, the other by six, the other by four and the other by three. The one 19-year-old was lucky — if it is lucky — [to be] raped by one man,” said Cele.

The DA slammed Cele for not apologising for the statement and President Cyril Ramaphosa for not reprimanding him.

Lucky

“We believe Cele’s ‘lucky to not be raped’ sentiment is absolutely unacceptable and dangerous. It perpetuates a culture of blaming or blame-sharing female rape victims and implies there is some sort of gratitude missing among those women who escape SA’s out of control rape pandemic.” The official opposition said Cele’s statement warrants a parliamentary investigation by the joint committee on ethics and members’ interests.

“The DA believes it is so antithetical to his oath, as an MP, so egregious a pronouncement as minister and so damaging a sentiment for society, that it warrants a parliamentary investigation by the joint committee on ethics and members’ interests.

NAIROBI - Elections observers deployed to monitor Kenya’s electoral process have called for calm and patience as the country awaits the results of the just concluded general election.

Representatives of the joint African Union, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute observer missions have urged supporters to refrain from any acts of violence during and after the tabulation of results.

They commended the electoral commission for carrying out the electoral process transparently this far.