By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Fikile Mbalula is set to be prosecuted for falsely accusing the former Bergview College principal, Jaco Pieterse, of rape.
The case involves a child whose mother alleges she was raped at the Bergview College in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, in October 2024.
Mbalula had condemned AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit for providing legal assistance to Pieterse.
He accused the lobby group of shielding a rape suspect rather than standing up for justice in South Africa.
After interviewing the child and conducting a medical examination, prosecutors determined that the evidence was inconclusive and did not support prosecution.
Despite Pieterse being cleared of wrongdoing, Mbalula refused to apologise for his remarks about Pieterse.
In response, Pieterse filed charges of crimen injuria against Mbalula, EFF leader Julius Malema, and Eastern Cape Education MEC Fundile Gade.
According to AfriForum the school principal and the school’s caretaker, whom unit also represents, were targets of what it called ‘vicious social media campaign’.
AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said Mbalula will join Malema, who also faces prosecution for crimen injuria over remarks about Pieterse.
Kriel said the reason for prosecuting Malema was that he suggested Pieterse may have carried out similar offences in the past.
“The NPA confirmed in August that it had decided to prosecute Malema,” said Kriel.
The lobby group recently made submissions to Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions Andrew Chauke to consider prosecuting Mbalula.
Chauke responded to the lobby group on Monday, 21 September 2026, and confirmed that the NPA will now move towards prosecuting the ANC secretary general.
NPA Spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said, “We, as the NDPP, were informed by the DPP in Gauteng South that they have made this decision and have communicated it to Afriforum.”
Head of Afriforum’s private prosecution unit, Gerrie Nel, welcomes the decision.
“This decision to prosecute must send out a strong message that one cannot say or post what they want. There will be consequences. We want to make it clear that no one is above the law.”
Bergview College has since officially parted ways with Pieterse, following months of turmoil sparked by what AfriForum has described as a disinformation campaign that led to death threats.