Cape Town – African National Congress (ANC) Speaker at the Free State Legislature, Zanele Sifuba, has reportedly opened a criminal case against the man who attempted to extort her and leaked her sex videos on social media.
According to The Citizen, spokesperson of Sifuba, Life Mokone confirmed that the speaker had been extorted.
“The originator of this content is a faceless thug who has made numerous attempts to extort money to the tune of R150 000 from the Speaker.
“In such a desperate attempt to convince the Speaker to pay the ransom, this person using multiple cellular lines, confessed that political players around the Speaker paid him to fabricate a sensual content in order to assist them to assassinate her character,” he was reported as saying.
The video was leaked on social media and has since spread across Twitter, sparking conversation on the platform.
ALSO READ | Nigeria’s Consulate condemns sharing of Zanele Sifuba’s leaked online sexual exploits
Mokone added that the video was leaked with the intention of denting Sifuba’s reputation, and removing her from her position.
“This he said, it was intended to soil her integrity towards the ANC Provincial Conference and to eventually remove her as the Speaker of the Free State Legislature. The strategy includes cyber bullying, blackmail, harassment and character assassination should the Speaker refuse to pay the money, which she did.”
He also confirmed that Sifuba was looking into her legal options.
“The Speaker is seeking legal counsel to deal with those who participate in supplementary circulation of such content.
“Anyone who engages in the unlawful distribution and dissemination of such images will attract both criminal and civil liability, which may result in imprisonment and/or damages being claimed against them,” Mokone said.
Image-based violence is illegal in South Africa:
?The distribution of “private sexual photos or films” is a crime under the Films and Publications Amendment Act = R300,000+4 yrs prison
?The sharing of “intimate images” is a crime under the Cybercrimes Act = fine+3 yrs prison— Emma Sadleir Berkowitz (@EmmaSadleir) November 9, 2022
TimesLIVE reported that Social Media Law Specialist, Emma Sadleir Berkowitz, confirmed that criminal charges could be laid against extortionists.
“You can lay crimen injuria charges, sue for damages or open a protection order if it’s someone you know. Extortion is a criminal offence, so you can lay charges.
“There is nothing wrong with an adult taking videos of themselves or with intimate partners [if] they have consent, and it’s unfortunate if that information is used against them. I don’t believe in victim-blaming. If you pay when extorted, they might not stop.
“You can’t be too careful but people should avoid taking explicit pictures and sending them online,” Berkowitz was reported as saying.
“The distribution of ‘private sexual photos or films’ is a crime under the Films and Publications Amendment Act = R300,000+4 yrs prison. The sharing of ‘intimate images’ is a crime under the Cybercrimes Act = fine+3 yrs prison,” Berkowitz wrote on Twitter.
Social media users were divided on how they felt about the situation, with many users expressing sympathy towards Sifuba’s situation, while others condemned her involvement in online sexual activity.
I stand by Mam Zanele Sifuba. She can feel embarrassed naturally but never ashamed about what has unfolded. She did what all adults do with their intimate partners in privacy, unaware that her intimate partner was a con artist that is after her money.
Salute mama. pic.twitter.com/9fosW4ggu4— Oom Ray. (@chiefmringo) November 10, 2022
“Is the Anc step aside policy working? Zanele Sifuba should be fired asap,” tweeted @Mkhize_vela.
Reports alleged that the man responsible for leaking the video was of Nigerian nationality.
Nigeria’s Consulate in Johannesburg has condemned the sharing of the video on social media.
The Consulate labelled the leaking and sharing of the video that features Sifuba as an invasion of her privacy.
“The Mission unequivocally condemns and distances all law-abiding Nigerians from the egregious and reprehensible violation of Hon Sifuba’s privacy by anyone, whether Nigerian or not,” the Consulate said.
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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
