Wynberg magistrate's court yesterday in support of a DA MP on trial for allegedly raping a teenager.
The DA's deputy shadow minister of home affairs, MP Masizole Mnqasela, is charged with raping a 17-year-old girl at his Pelikan Park parliamentary home on May 30 this year.
He is out on R500 bail.
But Mnqasela's young supporters say their MP is "a victim of a political conspiracy".
Addressing the youths outside the court, Mnqasela said:
"I'm simply a victim of a third force that seems to feed on my blood.
"I respect the Constitution and the judiciary of this country. I should not be tried outside the court. Let justice take its course."
Philiswa Marman, DA chairperson of ward 94 in Khayelitsha, claimed that the victim was "nowhere to be found" and that this proved that politics were at play.
Lwandiso Stofile, who was on Mnqasela's side, said "we came to support him as friends".
Mnqasela arrived at the court on time, and maintained his composure.
Despite that, magistrate Hazifa Mohamed had harsh words for Mnqasela's lawyer, Frank Raymond, who did not come to court.
The case was postponed to September 16.
None of the victim's relatives or friends could be seen in court.
