EFF distances itself from Gasa rape tweet

09 February 2015 - 18:00 By Sapa
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EFF berets.
EFF berets.
Image: JoshJord IndustrialT

The Economic Freedom Fighters distanced itself on Monday from a tweet on its Western Cape Twitter account about gender activist Nomboniswe Gasa's account of rape.

"The Twitter account was being operated by an EFF member on behalf of the province and the leadership has already taken steps to correct the occurrence," the party's national spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said in a statement.

"The EFF will never condone usage of rape experiences of people to score political points."

The Twitter handle @effwcape tweeted Gasa asking "@nombonisogasa Didn't you see? Was it dark? Can we get more?"

The tweet was accompanied by a link to a story on IOL's website from November 2004.

According to the report, the police closed the investigation into the alleged rape of Gasa on Robben Island in January 1997. Gasa had reportedly said her rapist was a white man.

An investigation was launched and a number of white men on the island at the time were investigated. More than seven years later police reportedly said they had given up.

Twitter users expressed shock at the tweet. Some said: "This is sick" and "[This] wreaks [sic] of patriarchal dominance and self adulating ignorance. How are you claiming to protect gender?"

The @effwcape account no longer exists on Twitter.

Ndlozi said the EFF condemned the tweet and said the party would protect rape victims and protect them against "rape culture".

"In essence, the irregular usage of the account is part of the reflection of this culture and the EFF condemns it and has instructed the province to take necessary steps against the individual," Ndlozi said.g

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