Mentally ill man 'abused sexually'

The family of a Limpopo mentally ill man who was seen being sexually assaulted by a woman in a video clip is demanding justice.

This is after the clip went viral on social media resulting in the family opening a criminal case against the woman, who was arrested six days ago.

The man, 25, is from Mehlareng near Zebediela. The two-minute clip shows the woman sitting on top of the man while touching his genitals and moaning in the presence of other people who can be heard laughing in the background.

Yesterday, the man's brother said they were disappointed to hear that the case had been provisionally withdrawn.

The brother also said the man had not received counselling despite efforts to report the matter to social workers.

Provincial police spokesman Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the case was provisionally withdrawn pending a decision by a senior prosecutor.

He said the incident took place in December but was only reported recently. Mojapelo said police were also looking for the person who shot the video clip because "they also participated in a criminal offence".

The provincial department of social development denied that the case was being neglected by their social workers.

They said social work supervisors would visit the family and explain the legal procedures to them for redress.

Spokeswoman for SA Federation of Mental Health Marthé Kotze said such cases were usually not reported because people did not believe mentally ill people when they say they had been sexually abused.