A group of concerned parents has levelled alarming allegations against a Johannesburg activist, claiming he is part of a predatory WhatsApp group that allegedly targets young girls for sexual exploitation.
The name of the activist has been withheld to protect the identities of the young girls.
The claims have sparked outrage and raised serious concerns regarding the safety of vulnerable young women in the community.
According to a letter obtained by The Star, the group of parents has issued a public warning, urging young girls and women to steer clear of the activist, and a circle of influential men associated with him.
The WhatsApp group, reportedly dubbed the “Hit List”, is accused of circulating photos of young girls without their consent, marking them as targets for sexual advances. The parents allege that this group comprises various affluent individuals, including business executives and CEOs, who have formed a twisted network preying on unsuspecting victims.
“We, as dedicated advocates for the rights and safety of women, are compelled to issue a serious warning regarding (name withheld), a father to a girl child, who is implicated as one of the leaders of the WhatsApp group,” the letter states. “This group engages in a competition to identify and exploit girls and women as sexual objects.”
These allegations come just days before the founder is set to host a men’s conference before the end of this month, where prominent speakers are set to address important issues affecting men, focusing on topics like law, mental health, and fatherhood.
Disturbingly, reports indicate that on August 11, 2024, the activist allegedly posted a photo of a young girl in the group, marking her as the next target. This kind of behaviour has led to a chorus of condemnation, with the letter’s authors likening him to notorious figures such as Jeffrey Epstein, stating he represents a “worst kind of exploitation and abuse of women and girls”.
A father of a 21-year-old woman, known to The Star has come forward, claiming his daughter has fallen victim to the activist’s alleged predatory actions.
He recounted a vacation where the activist was part of a group that included his daughter and her mother.
“My daughter is a victim of (his) sexual predatory ways,” the father said. “At some point during the trip, he took a photo of my daughter without her permission and posted it in this evil group.”
This alarming revelation was made possible by an insider from the WhatsApp group who broke a non-disclosure agreement to share the distressing news.
The concerned father has condemned the activist for using his foundation and events, which appear benevolent, to mask his purported predatory intentions.
“With all this dirt, he clearly uses (his foundation) to hide the abuse of women he conducts,” he remarked, raising questions about the integrity of events associated with the organisation.
In response to these serious allegations, the activist, through his legal representatives, vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
“We deny in the strongest terms any allegations that our client targets young girls with the intention of sexually exploiting them,” stated representatives from SN Mnguni Attorneys, emphasising their readiness to defend against the claims.
They also confirmed that the activist has filed a defamation case against one of the parents and has initiated criminal proceedings regarding the source of the allegations.
“Our office has already, through our client’s instructions, lodged a criminal complaint against the source of said allegations under CAS number *****/2024 of the Boksburg SAPS.
“We are also in the process of instituting civil proceedings and the application for a protection order against the said individual. Given the sensitivity of the matter, the seriousness of the allegations, and the fact that the issues raised therein are subject to legal proceedings, our client shall not be making any further comment in respect thereof, save to deny them with the contempt that they deserve,” the lawyers said.
The concerned father, who visited the Edenvale police station on Monday afternoon, said he had delayed opening a case as he was trying to protect his daughter.
“After arriving at Edenvale police station, I was told to bring my lawyer as the culprit had already opened a case of intimidation against me in August. However, I was surprised as I was never contacted by the police more than three months after the said incident. We will now open a joint case with my wife and daughter of sexual profiling as he took a picture of my daughter without permission and posted it on WhatsApp group.”
The Star