Another SA football star faces rape charge

Another SA football star faces rape charge

By Japhet Ncube in Johannesburg

ANOTHER high-profile South African sportsman faces rape charges.

Pretoria Premier Soccer League (PSL) side SuperSport United midfleider Sibusiso Mahlangu, 23, appeared in court on Tuesday for the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl he had offered a lift home after a bash in Atteridgeville.

Mahlangu was arrested on New Year's Day in Atteridgeville, a township west of the capital Pretoria, police spokesman Inspector Lucas Sithole confirmed.

Mahlangu's arrest follows hot in the heels of the court appearance for rape of Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana midfield genius Bennedict "Tso" Vilakazi, whose real name is in fact Bomgani Isaac Vilakazi.

He fraudulently used his younger brother's identity documents to enable him to play for the country's Under 23 side. His cover was blown by an investigation into age cheating last year by South Africa's leading black Sunday newspaper, City Press.

Vilakazi says the 15-year-old, who has since given birth to a baby believed to be that of the soccer star, consented to sex and that they were having an affair. His trial continues in February or March.

In a country where women abuse is one of the biggest social ills-- a woman ia raped every 40 seconds in SA, according to statistics-- and where even the former deputy president, Jacob Zuma, has been charged with the rape of an HIV positive Aids activist regarded as his own daughter, Mahlangu's arrest has sent shockwaves throughout the country.

The girl claims Mahlangu raped her shortly after midnight on New Year's Eve. She claims that she had asked for a lift home after the bash, but the spccer star had instead driven to his house. There, he found the place locked and called someone on his cellphone to bring the keys.

The girl said she had asked to use the toilet and while there the player had approached her and dragged her to his bedroom, where he allegedly raoed her once.

Later, Mahlangu is said to have driven the girl to her friend's house., where the girl revealed she had been abused. Shortly afterwards the rape was reported to the police. The player was arrested several hours later.

But sportsmen and rape is not a new phenomenon in SA-- a few years ago ace bowler Makhaya Ntini was charged with rape, found guilty but walked free on appeal.

Another top sportsman, boxer Jacob "Baby Jake" Matlala, was also accused of raping a gospel musician, Julia Ntla, allegedly promising to give her money to record her debut CD.

He settled the matter out of court and later claimed the woman and her husband were blackmailing him.

In 2004 SA soccer's bad boy Jabu Pule, a well-known drunk who is famous for going AWOL, was accused of abducting an under-age girl and taking her along on his drinking sprees.

The charges were later withdrawn.

Pule was given a lifeline by SuperSport United last year after he was sent packing from Austrian club SV Mattersburg after he was found sleeping while driving under the influence of alcohol on a freeway.

Kaizer Chiefs also offloaded him after a string of disappearing acts. He then went to join the Austrian team, then coached by former Kaizer Chiefs coach Muhsin Ertugral.

Today he faces expulsion from SuperSport after going AWOL not once but twice in just one season. His future looks uncertain in South African football although he is one of the most talented players.

Bafana Bafana stand-in coach Ted Dumitru has excluded Pule from his 25-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt later this month.
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