African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula will face prosecution for crimen injuria over remarks in which he allegedly linked former Bergview College principal Jaco Pieterse to the alleged rape of a child.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that the Gauteng South Director of Public Prosecutions had decided to prosecute Mbalula following representations made by AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit.

Mbalula joins Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema, whom the NPA decided in August to prosecute on a similar charge relating to comments about Pieterse.

The matter stems from allegations that a child was raped at Bergview College in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape in October 2024.

The NPA previously declined to prosecute Pieterse or the school caretaker, saying there was insufficient evidence of rape or sexual assault.

Pieterse subsequently laid criminal complaints against Mbalula, Malema, and Eastern Cape Education MEC Fundile Gade with the support of AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit.

The complaint against Mbalula relates to remarks he made in April 2025 while addressing the media following an ANC meeting.

Mbalula referred to the alleged rape case and criticised AfriForum for what he described as shielding suspects rather than supporting justice. AfriForum alleges that he also described Pieterse as an animal.

AfriForum challenged an earlier decision not to prosecute Mbalula and made representations to the NPA in August.

AfriForum argued that although Mbalula did not explicitly name Pieterse, his remarks would have been understood in context as referring to him.

AfriForum Private Prosecution Unit spokesperson Barry Bateman said the organisation believed Mbalula’s comments had damaged Pieterse’s dignity and reputation.

The NPA has confirmed that Mbalula will now be charged with crimen injuria in the Johannesburg Regional Court.