Vurgee Tshabalala was supposedly sexually ambushed by three men who had offered him a lift from Soshanguve, South Africa to town a week ago. On their way, the men stopped the vehicle, and constrained him to remove his clothes. "They let me know they needed to see my reproductive organs and after that sexually struck me," said Tshabalala.
The gay man went to open a case with the police yet rather the officers burst into chuckling and ridiculed him. By North Reckord, the cops who treated Tshbalalala with contempt could themselves confront the law after he was encouraged to record a case with the autonomous police investigative directorate.
The directorate investigates cases of misconduct against the police. Soshanguve police spokesperson, Lolo Mangena said:
"Legally that is discrimination. When you are treated unfairly in certain areas of the law, that is discrimination. That is not how we operate as police. If you are treated unfairly or differently from other people because of gender, sexual orientation, religion, skin colour, political or intellectual ability, a complaint can be laid against the police officers who assisted him. That is if he can remember them, their names, or at least can identify them."
Mangena said Tshabalala’s ordeal at the police station was tantamount to sexual assault. Mangena advised him to file a complaint with the directorate.
"This is another sort of discrimination. This means he was hassled in a sexual way and he did not like it. It can include someone suggesting or trying to get you to have sex, trying to touch you in a way you do not like, or displaying photographs that upset or offend you. Sexual harassment is against the law in South Africa." Mangena added.