Angry Bo-Kaap residents have given the 85-year-old twin brothers accused of sexual molestation an ultimatum.
On Saturday, around 50 EFF members joined a group of residents, calling themselves Bo-Kaap Youth, in a march to the houses of former school principals Goosain and Gasant Emeran, in support of Gasant’s granddaughter who publicly accused the pair of sexual assault and rape.
They handed over a memorandum to the brothers on behalf of residents who are demanding they move out of the area as they had “destroyed the spirit of the community”.
“As the community of Bo-Kaap, we demand that the two brothers leave the community of Bo-Kaap immediately, as their alleged actions have violated the spirit of this community,” read the group’s memorandum.
“We believe the testimony of the granddaughter who came out and told her personal story. We hope her courage will inspire other victims and survivors to come out and tell their own stories too for paedophiles, rapists, molesters and abusers can no longer be concealed because of fear of public shame.”
A Metro police officer was sent to deliver the memorandum to Gasant
However, EFF members stormed onto the stoep demanding to speak to the elderly man.
They also threw rubbish at the gate and attempted to kick in the door.
An angry neighbour then confronted the group and allegedly set his dog on protesters, one of whom was bitten on the arm.
Protesters hurled rocks and a scuffle ensued as Metro cops attempted to calm tempers.
Gasant’s son eventually opened the door and signed the memorandum.
In the viral video shared on YouTube last week, the young woman, who lives in Jordan with her husband, claimed she had been abused by her oupa from age five and knew of other alleged victims.
Her paternal grandfather, Gasant, who is a former palie of Oaklands High, has not yet made any statement regarding the allegations.
According to his son, Gasant was ill with cancer and not available to be interviewed.
On Friday, Goosain released a statement proclaiming his innocence, saying he had never been confronted by anyone before the accusations emerged last week.
He said he has been a “lifelong advocate for the rights of women and children and strongly and unreservedly condemns gender-based violence and sexual abuse”.
Speaking via his lawyers, Sebogodi Attorneys, Goosain, the former head of Trafalgar High School, called the allegations “wild, unsubstantiated and untrue” and “vehemently denies that he was party to any such reprehensible behaviour”.
Despite being named by both the young woman and her brother, Goosain argued that “the allegations are not made against him directly”.
“It is unfortunate that this allegation has been made in the public domain and my client invites anyone who accuses him of any such conduct to charge him formally with the South African Police Service,” said his lawyer Teboho Sebogodi.
Last Thursday, the Muslim Judicial Council suspended Goosain from its Education Board until further notice.
The woman has not laid charges yet, but the chairperson of the Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers’ Association Osman Shaboodien confirmed they had asked police to look into the matter.
He said the association was not part of Saturday’s march.
Meanwhile, EFF Spokesman Wandile Kasibe says they have opened a case against the dog owner as it bit a member on the arm.