'My son is not a rapist' – accused’s mother testifies in Northern Cape High Court

GLADYS Mthukwane, the mother of rape accused Douglas Mthukwane, steadfastly believes that her son "is not a rapist".

Douglas is standing trial for the rape of a 14-year-old girl and two other women, who were allegedly threatened at gunpoint.

Testifying in the Northern Cape High Court recently, Gladys stated that her son did not possess a firearm. 

“I help him clean his flat and do his laundry, as I have a washing machine at home. While I do not know what happens at his flat when I am not there, as I have my own place, I do not know my child to be a rapist. I have a problem with these allegations of rape,” she said.

She added that she was aware of the contents of items stored at her son’s residence. 

“I know that he does not keep a firearm at his flat. He would always call me or his sister to help him decorate his place. I also drove his motor vehicle - if it was dirty, I would take it to the car wash.”

Under cross-examination by the State, she conceded that she had never cleaned both her son’s flat and his vehicle on the same day.

Douglas meanwhile objected to what he described as the “unethical behaviour” of the media, accusing journalists of intimidating him in court.

“They don't know what journalism is. They are here to promote falsehoods about me. Why were they not here when the complainants testified?” 

He accused everyone of conspiring against him. 

“The prosecution is calling the media whenever my witnesses or I have to testify,” he alleged.

Douglas insisted that an affidavit he submitted to the court, objecting to his psychiatric evaluation report, should be read into the record so that the media could report on it.

“In that affidavit, I deal with the media. Never mind, I will see how I deal with the media in my own way,” he remarked.

He added that he was being subjected to a “trial by media”. 

“Every time, my flat gets broken into when I appear in the media,” he claimed.

Acting Judge Sharon Erasmus advised that all the complainants testified in camera and postponed the matter until July 18 for closing arguments.