Woman Arrested for protesting Naked in South Africa

SOUTH AFRICA – Police on Wednesday arrested a former University of South Africa (Unisa) employee for a semi-naked protest outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria – but many are unhappy at how she was treated during the arrest.

The Unisa SRC said it was disappointed by the manner in which Gugu Ncube was manhandled and arrested for her protest.

“We are not happy at all. She did not have to be treated like that, no matter the circumstances,” said SRC president Amukelani Ngwenya.

Dressed in revealing underwear, Ncube took to Pretoria with the intention of addressing President Cyril Ramaphosa after she was allegedly raped and abused while at Unisa.

“The police are used to intimidate, threaten and harass me. I was raped by ..,” she wrote in a placard.

Despite being unhappy at how Ncube was treated, Ngwenya refused to comment on what she was protesting about, saying the SRC would soon meet to finalise its position on the matter.

“What we have been briefed on for now is that Gugu had been raped and two men were acquitted. Gugu then [went] to the CCMA, where she lost the case. We were told that is why she then resigned and staged the protest,” he said.

In the video, which has been widely circulated, several female police officers can be seen forcefully removing Ncube from the premises as she kicks and shouts in defiance.

Sunnyside police spokesperson Daniel Mavimbela confirmed that Ncube was arrested for public indecency. She is expected to be charged and to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court soon.