Gqulu stands up to Dros rapist

Muso mobilising crowd for march to the court hearing

Music star Busiswa Gqulu has been watching the case of a seven-year-old girl allegedly raped at a Dros restaurant in Silverglen‚ Pretoria, with shock and disgust and has called on people to march when the accused returns to court next month.

The star said she had noticed growing sympathy for the alleged perpetrator and decided to march to the court to make her own voice heard.

“I have been watching the case from afar but I have seen on social media that there is growing degree of understanding for the perpetrator and explanations trying to be made for him. I think, as public figures, we can always lend our voices to situations we feel are unjust,” said Gqulu.

Gqulu said she was looking for a group of activists that she could join in the march but was not scared to start her own if needs be.

“I am looking for a group of activists who will be marching, and if I find one I will be joining them. I would be open to starting my own march, but I do know that there are groups that are far better at mobilising people and I don’t want to undermine them. It has to be organised properly.”

The star‚ who gave birth to a baby boy in January, said as a mother she could not just stand back while children were being hurt.

“I am so passionate about this because I am a mother and I can imagine what her [the victim’s] mother must be going through. Should we allow the world to become a place where a crime like this can happen in a public space?

“If we allow a criminal like that to get away‚ the world will be a very unpleasant place for the next generation,” she said.

Meanwhile‚ a crowd-funding initiative to help pay for therapy for the young girl has already collected R88 439 since its launch a week ago.

BackaBuddy spokesperson Zane Groenewald told Sowetan’s sister publication, TimesLIVE, that one donor has pledged US$2.122.47 (R31‚018.97) to the cause.