Celebrity raped #METOO

MORE women have come out to share their stories of alleged abuse and rape at the hands of a prominent celebrity.

The celebrity is not being named as criminal charges have not been opened against him yet.

Since actress and businesswoman Amanda du Pont recorded a tearful video on Thursday detailing the alleged abuse she endured while she was romantically linked to the celebrity, others have also come forward.

On Friday, Masechaba Khumalo, radio personality and spokesperson for the Sports, Arts and Culture Ministry, stood in solidarity with Du Pont and claimed that she too had been a victim of the celebrity in Naturena, Johannesburg, when she was still a virgin.

“I felt Amanda’s tears. Watching her video gave me goosebumps because our stories are almost identical. I felt compelled to say something because it’s not about me, it’s about all of us,” she said.

“It was a difficult decision but I decided I was going to do it, whether people believed me or not, whether I would receive criticism for only coming out all these years. I was planning to go to the grave with this and I realised that I can’t, it has to stop and it has to stop with us,” she said.

Du Pont’s video was a response to the celebrity’s interview podcast which aired on Wednesday. During his interview he alleged that he had “smashed” Du Pont and that their relationship ended because she found out he was cheating on her.

Du Pont denied this, saying she had been raped throughout the two years they were together, and that she stayed in the abusive relationship out of fear.

Although support for Khumalo and Du Pont has been pouring in, Khumalo said she was nervous about her position in the government, if she brought her ministry into disrepute.

“Knowing that my principal, Minister Nathi Mthethwa, is a staunch feminist, an advocate for the protection of women, children and people, I somehow knew that I can’t hold back because I am afraid of bringing all this unwanted attention to myself, my family, my children and colleagues.

“This has affected me for a very long time.

“I didn’t have any sexual encounter with any man for years after the rape because I thought that was sex. I thought that was normal and didn’t want anything to do with it.

“I have thrown myself into activism, helping young girls, women and men to deal with abuse, violence and generational curses and that was a healing process for me,” she said.

Supporters and fans of the celebrity have been questioning her timing and wanting to know why it had taken years for Khumalo to talk about her alleged ordeal.

She explained that the shame of abuse paralysed victims, and that she was young when it happened and was no longer afraid of the celebrity.

“This is the one secret I have kept my whole life that I thought I would never tell. I am proud of Amanda for being brave enough to come out,” she said.

Nonzwakazi Cekete, a spokesperson for the broadcast station where the celebrity is a presenter, said the channel had suspended him in light of the allegations as they did not condone gender-based violence in any way and under any circumstances.

The celebrity did not comment by the time of going to print.