Cosatu 'concerned' as shop steward attending congress is arrested for rape

Cosatu has broken its silence on the arrest on a charge of rape of a delegate attending the trade union's 14th national congress in Midrand.

The shop steward, according to Sunday World,  was arrested at the Gallagher Convention Centre..

“Cosatu is deeply concerned by disturbing rape allegations levelled against one of the delegates attending the congress,” said Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla.

“These are serious allegations at a gathering where one of the issues under discussion is the gender-based violence devastating the nation. Rape is a detestable crime that goes against everything the federation believes in and we will continue to monitor the situation.

“Since this is now a criminal matter, the federation will refrain from commenting further.”

Sunday World reported the victim told police she spent a night with her  boyfriend at the Regal Hotel in Noordwyk after returning from the congress.

When she woke up on Tuesday morning, next to her in bed was the alleged rapist and her boyfriend was nowhere to be found.

“She discovered that the union leader had sex with her without her consent,” Sunday World quoted a police officer as saying. 

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