The recent surfacing of a video in which alleged minors appear to be engaging in sexual intercourse has shocked the Cape Town community. In the approximately minute long video, a minor is seen recording two individuals who appear to be minors engaging in sexual intercourse, while making ‘lewd’ hand gestures at the camera. The young girl, who in 2016 garnered much attention with a previous video in which she bullies another minor, continues recording until the pair ask her to stop filming. Community members have since come out in anger, calling for intervention and urging the minors’ parents to take action.

In response to widespread outrage, the Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) and South African Police Service (SAPS) have confirmed that the matter is being investigated.

Speaking to VOC’s Breakfast Beat, spokesperson for Albert Fritz, the MEC for Social Development, Sihle Ngobese, explains that the department has taken the matter quite seriously since it has been alleged that the incident involved three minors.

He confirmed that the department has arranged for social workers to begin the process of making contact with the minors in the video, after which the children will be assessed, and along with their families be provided with the appropriate assistance.

“Material like that in itself is child pornography, so we are firstly trying to establish; who they are, where they are and get in touch with their parents,” Ngobese affirmed.

Given the fact that the video was widely shared and viewed on social media, he urges everyone not to view or share the online video as that would constitute a contravention of law that is aimed at the protection of children, namely the Film and Publications Act of 1996 and the Children’s Act of 1995.

Further adding that since South Africa has in the past experienced incidents of child pornography rings, which law enforcement has successfully tackled, parents should observe extra caution when providing minors with access to social media.

“More importantly we are appealing to parents to be more aware of their children’s online activities and to take the necessary steps to educate and protect them so that we can avoid something like this.”

The department encourages members of the public to contact it if videos/photographs of child pornography surfaces on social media.

DSD’s Toll FREE number: 0800 220 250

VOC 91.3fm