A well-known Siwelele football player who is wanted by the police for allegedly raping a young Pretoria woman has been suspended from the club with immediate effect.
News that the player was suspended was revealed by a highly-placed source who did not want to be named for fear of revenge.
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The source said the club suspended the player after learning of the allegation of rape through the media.
The mole said the team management held a meeting with the player on Thursday, 5 February and took a decision to “red card” him to protect the club’s image.
The management, according to the source, told the player that he would only be allowed to come and train with the team after the case has been settled.
“The team felt that given the gravity of the allegation and the seriousness of gender-based violence in the country, it will be a serious indictment for the club to pretend that nothing has happened when everybody is talking about this matter,” said the informant.
Club owner Calvin Le John confirmed that they’ve suspended the footballer.
“We had a meeting with him yesterday and suspended him verbally. Today, Friday, we officially served him with a letter of suspension,” he said.
The player, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, allegedly accosted his victim in Sunnyside, Tshwane, on Tuesday, 3 February.
The footballer allegedly drove with the woman to his marital home in Midrand, Gauteng, where he allegedly raped her.
After the alleged sexual assault, the woman returned to Tshwane and opened a case of rape against the player at the Pretoria Central Police Station.
The victim’s close associate, who did not want to be identified for fear of victimisation, alleged the woman received a call from a woman who identified herself as the popular footballer’s wife.
The alleged wife asked the victim to explain what had happened.
After the victim related her ordeal, the alleged wife allegedly asked her how much money she’d want in order not to report the matter to the cops.
“She said she told the woman that she would not accept the money because she was not a sex worker,” the associate said.
The associate further said the victim told the alleged wife that she was a woman of high morals.
She said accepting money in exchange for not pressing charges would be like betraying South Africa’s fight against gender-based violence, which President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a national priority.
“She wants justice. Men like him have no respect for the laws of this country. She would be setting a bad example if she took the money and let him get away with it.”
“He must pay for his actions. He must go to jail. South Africa does not need men like him,” said the associate.
The associate’s version was supported by a short police statement which was compiled at the station.
The statement, which Daily Sun has seen, mentions the name of the woman as a victim of rape and the name of the soccer player as a suspect.
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Gauteng police spokeswoman Amanda Sibeko confirmed that a case of rape has been opened, and police investigations are underway.
She said the case was opened at Pretoria Central Police Station and transferred to Midrand, where the alleged incident happened.
