Cape Town – March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has opened a criminal case after a man allegedly posted a social media message calling for her to be raped and killed.
Ngobese-Zuma opened the case at Durban Central Police Station on Tuesday after the alleged remarks were posted on Facebook earlier this week.
The post has since been deleted.
TimesLIVE reported that the man was identified as Sello Lemonka Gemba, who is purported to be an ANC supporter. The publication reported that screenshots of the alleged post had circulated on social media.
The ANC has condemned the alleged remarks and said there could be no justification for calls for violence against Ngobese-Zuma or anyone else.
“If accurately attributed to him, such utterances are vile, reprehensible and wholly incompatible with the values, traditions and political culture of the ANC,” ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said.
ANC CONDEMNS ALLEGED SOCIAL MEDIA INCITEMENT TO VIOLENCE AGAINST JACINTA NGOBESE-ZUMA https://t.co/Bk8aMZQX0Q
— ANCLimpopo (@ANCLimpopo) October 7, 2026
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“There can never be political, personal or ideological justification for incitement to rape, murder or any form of violence against another person,” she said.
The ANC said it had distanced itself from the alleged comments and rejected any attempt to associate such conduct with the organisation.
ANC calls for investigation
The party has called on law enforcement authorities to investigate the allegations and determine whether the remarks amount to criminal conduct.
EWN reported that the ANC is also investigating whether Gemba is a member of the party.
The party said that if he is confirmed to be an ANC member, its internal disciplinary processes should also be allowed to take their course.
“Social media is not a lawless space, and freedom of expression cannot be distorted into a licence to threaten, intimidate or incite violence,” the ANC said in its statement.
ANC said disagreements between Gemba and Ngobese-Zuma would not justify language allegedly calling for her rape or killing.
The ANC also said the alleged remarks were particularly concerning given South Africa’s ongoing struggle with gender-based violence and femicide.
Ngobese-Zuma has not publicly disclosed details of the police case beyond confirming that it was opened at Durban Central Police Station.
The allegations against Gemba have not been tested in court.
Police are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged social media post.
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
