Donell Mbele – the son of actress Sonia Mbele – has appeared in court on charges of rape by his ex-girlfriend, who is reportedly underage.
The 23-year-old – the son of businessman Leslie Sedibe – appeared in the Randburg Magistrates Court on Monday, 20 January.
The incident comes a year after his ex, Reokeditswe Makete, made similar allegations against him.
DONELL MBELE APPEARS IN COURT ON RAPE CHARGES
On Monday, Donell Mbele appeared in the Randburg Magistrates Court on two counts of rape. The charges were filed by Donell’s ex, who is 17 years old.
NPA Spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwana told the media that Donell had been granted bail of R1000. He would return to court on 10 February.
According to the teen, the incident occurred at his place of residence in Morningside, Johannesburg.
Earlier this month, the alleged victim – of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) – posted a thread about what allegedly occurred on her Instagram account. The thread was reposted by anti-GBV activists, Women For Change.
In it, she accused Donell – whose name she later removed – of “raping” her on 14 and 15 December. She claims that she and Donell had recently gone public with their six-month relationship, but the alleged incident took place days later.
REPEAT OFFENDER?
In late 2022, Donell Mbele made headlines when his then-girlfriend, Reokeditswe Makete, accused him of wanting to “kill” and “rape” her after being allegedly assaulted by him.
The young woman shared pics of her injuries as well as screenshots of messages allegedly sent by him.
Donell’s mother, Sonia Mbele, responded to the allegations with a statementcondemning her son’s actions.
A part of it read: “Donell will face his demons, take accountability for his actions, and let the law take its course.
“Rehab, therapy, and internal healing will prevail.”
Images via Instagram:
@thee_sonia/ @ngila._
OUTRAGE BY GBV ORG
Meanwhile, Women For Change have voiced their disdain over Donell Mbele being granted bail.
Sabrina Walter told The South African:“We are so proud of the survivor for her bravery and strength in opening a case against Donell, especially given the significant pressure of his mother being a well-known celebrity. It takes immense courage to speak out in situations like this.
“However, it is deeply shocking that Donell was allegedly granted bail for just R1000, particularly considering the previous abuse allegations brought against him by his ex-girlfriend in 2022.
“Once again, this decision sends a deeply troubling message about the prioritisation of survivors’ safety and justice in cases of gender-based violence and rape.
Sabrina added: “Our justice system is consistently failing our women. Accountability is crucial if we are ever to see meaningful change in the fight against GBVF.”.
The South African has contacted Sonia Mbele for comment. None had been received at the time of publication.
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