One of the men accused of gang-raping an 18-year-old boy in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain, says he needs bail because he must take care of his mother.
Joshua Booysen, who appeared at the Mitchells Plain Magistrates’ Court, admitted he was a member of the Terrible WestSider (TWS) gang and says he knows the community wants to harm them because of what they had done to the teen.
He told the court if released he would go live in Hout Bay.
Booysen, Rameez Martin, 21, Ashley Titus, Yasien Sedick are applying for bail after being charged with kidnapping, rape and assault with the intention to do grievous bodily harm.
It is alleged that on 11 June, the four men kidnapped the teen as he walked home and took him to one of their houses, and in a Wendy house in the backyard, they shoved a bottle up his anus and raped him.
They also allegedly beat him up and threatened to kill him and tortured him by shoving papers between his toes and setting it alight.
The teen told police he lost consciousness a few times but was eventually let go by the men, who allegedly told him that they “only wanted to have a little fun with him”.
He immediately told his mother what had happened and was able to take police to all the suspects’ homes where they were arrested.
The teen's aunt said they are contesting bail and urged the court to keep the men behind bars.
The matter resumes on 26 August.