A former principal at the centre of child molestation allegations says he has been a "lifelong advocate for the rights of women and children and strongly and unreservedly condemns gender-based violence and sexual abuse".
Goosain Emeran, 85, and his twin brother Gasant, from Bo-Kaap, were this week accused by a relative of having sexually abused girls over a period of five decades.
Gasant's granddaughter, who now lives in Jordan, claimed in a YouTube video which shocked Capetonians that her oupa had abused her from the age of five.
The woman’s brother shared the video on his Facebook page, posting: “The reason for this post is to make people aware of the risk that my grandfather and his twin brother, Goosain Emeran, pose to children.”
Speaking via his lawyers, Sebogodi Attorneys, Goosain, a former principal of Trafalgar High School, called the allegations "wild, unsubstantiated and untrue" and "vehemently denies that he was party to any such reprehensible behaviour".
He said he had never been confronted with any allegation by a family member or any other person before the accusations emerged this week.
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.
"In the circumstances, and should such a charge be laid against him, my client would welcome a prosecution so that he may clear his name of any such allegations.
"My client wishes to place on record that he has been a lifelong advocate for the rights of women and children and he strongly and unreservedly condemns gender-based violence and sexual abuse of any form."
On Thursday, the Muslim Judicial Council suspended Goosain from its Education Board until further notice.
The MJC condemned all acts of child molestation and encouraged victims to break their silence and report sex offenders.
Thursday saw about 150 residents of Bo-Kaap hold a protest outside the home of Gasant.
The family of the retired Oaklands High head told the Daily Voice that he is ill with cancer and not able to comment on the allegations.