A DA councillor has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in Clanwilliam.
Western Cape police spokesman‚ Captain FC van Wyk‚ confirmed that the politician was arrested on Wednesday.
He will appear in court on Friday on charges of sexual assault.
“The alleged incident happened on [Sunday]. And was reported at Clanwilliam SAPS on Wednesday. The case will be investigated by the FCS Unit‚ Vredendal‚” said van Wyk.
Meanwhile the ANC West Coast regional spokesman‚ Sammy Claasen‚ said his party welcomed swift action by police on the matter.
“We call on the community of Clanwilliam and the broader West Coast Region to support the alleged victim and her family during this difficult time. We hope for a speedily and fair trial to restore justice for the victim‚” he said.
The councillor‚ whose name is known to The Times‚ serves in West Coast District Municipality.
In a statement issued on Thursday‚ the DA said it "views sexual assault in an extremely serious light and will act severely against any of its members found guilty of this".
The party said the councillor was innocent until proven guilty. "Should a guilty verdict arise‚ the DA will take action. The DA will let the law run its course and will take action only when all legal processes are complete‚" the party said.
- TMG Digital/The Times
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