MEDIA STATEMENT: NPA orders further investigations in child pornography case against UCT professor Pierre de Vos

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) reopened the child pornography case against the University of Cape Town (UCT) law Professor Pierre de Vos in response to AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit’s representations that identified numerous investigative failures. The police docket contained only two statements: the statement of the complainant, who was an AfriForum Youth representative at the time, and an unsigned statement from De Vos.

Among the investigation’s shortcomings, the unit noted that the police did not obtain De Vos’s cellphone data, mobile service provider records, internet service provider records, social media records, statements from several people, including the “technical expert” he claims to have consulted, and expert analysis of all this data and information.

Adv. Indra Goberdan, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions in the Eastern Cape, said in a letter dated 21 November that her “office has instructed the South African Police [Service (SAPS)] to comply with outstanding investigations and the relevant prosecutors have been requested to provide reports in respect of the decision that was taken. This office will be in a position to review the decision [not to prosecute] when the above-mentioned aspects have been finalised”.

On 10 September 2022, a post on De Vos’ X account included a video of what was described in the post as a “Chinese virgin young boy” being sexually abused by an adult male. Soon thereafter, the post was removed from the timeline. On 18 September De Vos posted that his Twitter [X] account was hacked and tweeted porn, adding that it was obvious that nothing will come of any criminal complaint filed against him.

On 21 September 2022, the complainant, who was a representative of AfriForum Youth at the time, reported allegations of contraventions of the Films and Publications Act to the Humewood police station. On 28 September, De Vos opened his own criminal case where he alleged his social media account had been hacked. Through a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application, the Private Prosecution Unit obtained the docket in the case filed by the AfriForum Youth representative. It consisted of one statement drafted by the complainant to register the case, and another unsigned electronic statement by De Vos.

Barry Bateman, spokesperson for the unit, says the NPA’s response confirms the unit’s contention that the “decision not to prosecute was premature, irrational and based on an embarrassing and deliberately incomplete investigation. The NPA were so blinded by the status of the suspect that it may have overlooked the purpose behind offences of this serious nature. The focus remains the protection of children but includes the protection of society against the distribution of sexually explicit deeds against children.” MEDIAVERKLARING: NVG las verdere ondersoek in kinderpornografiesaak teen professor Pierre de Vos

Die Nasionale Vervolgingsgesag (NVG) het die kinderpornografiesaak teen professor Pierre de Vos van die Universiteit van Kaapstad (UK) heropen in reaksie op AfriForum se privaatvervolgingseenheid se vertoë wat talle tekortkominge in die ondersoekproses uitgelig het. Die oorspronklike dossier het slegs twee verklarings bevat: die verklaring van die klaer, wat in daardie stadium ’n verteenwoordiger van AfriForum Jeug was, en ’n ongetekende verklaring van De Vos.

Die eenheid het opgemerk dat die polisie versuim het om onder meer De Vos se selfoondata te bekom, die rekords van sy selfoondiensverskaffer, sy internetdiensverskaffer en sosiale media, asook verklarings van verskeie mense, insluitend die “tegniese deskundige” wat hy glo geraadpleeg het en ’n kundige ontleder om al hierdie data te verwerk.

Adv. Indra Goberdan, adjunkdirekteur van Openbare Vervolging in die Oos-Kaap, het in ’n brief, wat 21 November 2024 gedateer is, gesê haar “kantoor het die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD) opdrag gegee om die uitstaande ondersoek te voltooi en die betrokke aanklaers versoek om verslae in verband met die besluit om nie te vervolg nie, in te dien. Hierdie kantoor is in ’n posisie om die besluit [om nie te vervolg nie] te hersien wanneer die bogenoemde ondersoek afgehandel is”.

Op 10 September 2022 het ’n plasing op De Vos se X-rekening ’n video bevat van, wat in die plasing beskryf is as ’n “Chinese maagd jong seun” wat mishandel word deur ’n volwasse man. Kort daarna is die plasing van die rekening verwyder. Op 18 September 2022 het De Vos ’n plasing gemaak en verduidelik dat ’n kuberkraker toegang tot sy X-rekening verkry het en pornografie daarop gedeel het. Hy het bygevoeg dat dit duidelik is dat daar niks sal kom van enige kriminele klagte wat teen hom aanhangig gemaak word nie.

Op 21 September 2022 het die klaer, wat toe ’n verteenwoordiger van AfriForum Jeug was, bewerings van die oortreding van die Wet op Films en Publikasies by die Humewood-polisiestasie aangemeld. De Vos het op 28 September sy eie saak geopen waar hy beweer het dat ’n kuberkraker toegang tot sy sosialemediarekening verkry het. Deur ’n Wet op die Bevordering van Toegang tot Inligting (PAIA)-aansoek het die privaatvervolgingseenheid die dossier bekom in die saak wat deur die AfriForum Jeug-verteenwoordiger aanhangig gemaak is. Dit het ’n verklaring bevat wat deur die klaer opgestel is om die saak te registreer, en nog ’n ongetekende elektroniese verklaring deur De Vos.

Barry Bateman, woordvoerder van die eenheid, sê die NVG se reaksie bevestig die eenheid se siening dat die “besluit om nie te vervolg nie voortydig, irrasioneel en gegrond is op die polisie se doelbewuste pogings om ’n onvolledige ondersoek te doen. Die NVG was so verblind deur die status van die verdagte dat dit moontlik die belangrikheid van ’n ondersoek na die ernstige aard van hierdie soort misdryf misgekyk het. Die fokus bly op die beskerming van kinders, maar sluit in die beskerming van die samelewing teen die verspreiding van seksueel eksplisiete dade teen kinders.”

#JacoSwart The footage the court did not get to see. For this gender-based violence, Jaco Swart was given a R20k fine and a suspended prison sentence. #JacoSwart pleaded guilty to assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. His Defence counsel objected to surveillance footage being presented for purposes of sentencing.

BREAKING #JacoSwart has pleaded guilty to assault GBH for the vicious attacks on his estranged wife Nicoleen. The matter was struck off the roll last year. Then @Afriforum’s Private Prosecution Unit got involved and made representations to the DPP. #JacoSwart Surveillance footage captured Swart punching, kicking and pushing his wife Nicoleen. Sometimes in front of their children. The vicious assaults left Nicoleen with cuts and bruises. In one attack, he kicks her in the face; in another, he kicks her between her legs.