The family of the 27-year-old woman who opened up a case of rape against ward councillor Antonio van der Rheede has hit back at his claims that the allegations made was a political attack.
Van der Rheede was granted R1000 bail at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday after spending three nights in a police holding cell.
He is expected back in the dock on December 6.
He is accused of raping the young woman who resides in Hanover Park.
Van der Rheede told the media outside court that the case was nothing short of a political attack on him as a councillor and was politically motivated.
He was joined by supporters who chanted that they were his “women.”
During an exclusive interview with the Weekend Argus, the victim’s distraught family said she was a widow and was part of safety structures in the community and claimed that Van der Rheede had promised her employment in Law Enforcement and had allegedly written her a letter of recommendation.
They claimed the alleged sex attack took place three years ago inside his office and that she could no longer bear the silence and broke it last week when opening up a case with Philippi Police Station.
In a statement, the family said they were traumatised by the alleged attack, including the victim, and that she (victim) had the courage to speak out despite a possible onslaught and attack.
They also raised their concerns about Van der Rheede’s claims that it was politically driven.
“In the end, justice will prevail. The Almighty never sleeps. I don't think that people understand the meaning of rape. Whether you penetrate with your fingers or any penetration is rape. We will trust The Almighty in this process because He is the one who is fair and just,“ said the victim’s mother, who cannot be identified.
“My daughter has suffered for a long time and has carried this hurt and violation with her for too long.
“It has affected our entire situation as a family and brought great trauma into all our lives.
“There are too many men getting influenced by these types of crimes.
“It took her extreme courage to stand up for women who are being abused on a daily basis.
“The family is very upset about his bail being accepted and also very disappointed that he continues with his lies on TV without shame.
“One would have thought that the past three days he spent in jail would have got him thinking and remorseful. It just shows, once again, how he is capable of manipulating a situation.
“And now he is making this crime that he committed political.
“I want justice for my daughter.
“We also fear intimidation from Van Der Rheede's connections because they have noticed an influential acquaintance frequently driving in the road where they live recently, and people showing support to the family are also being victimised by his supporters.”
The woman’s supporters, who are members of the community, also hit back after his appearance in a video shared on social media.
They said: “We do not understand that there are women who are supporting the councillor. What if it was their daughter or sister, their cousin or niece?
“And yet, they are still standing by a man who did wrong.
These are grown people, they are mothers, they are elderly people, and they are supporting this man. It is just wrong.
“Today, we have a ward councillor accused of rape, and the community is split in half on the basis whether they are going to get jobs or not. Today they are using a rape case to secure a job. It is time we take the band-aids off. It is political. It is a DA ward councillor who did this. I dont care if Good was there or CCC, EFF. We should all rally together for a man who decided to touch one of our women.”
Alderman Felicity Purchase, Speaker, City of Cape Town, told Weeknd Argus said protocol had to be followed and that she was aware of the allegations and that an investigation would be conducted by her office in terms of a possible breach of the Code of Conduct for Councillors.
Presently, 19 grievances have been made against the councillor by the community for allegations of misappropriation of funds and manipulation of EPWP contracts.
The DA’s national director of communications, Richard Newton, said soon after Van der Rheede’s arrest that the party’s FLC, Federal Legal Council, would be taking the necessary steps.