A Diepsloot man denies allegations made in a BBC documentary that claims he is a serial rapist that terrorises the community.
The man, only identified as David, features in the documentary My Neighbour is a Rapist, which aired on BBC World News and was uploaded online.
In the more than 40-minute documentary, David alleges that he has raped more than 24 women in the community and deliberately spread HIV.
"I know I am HIV (sic) so, I want to spread that HIV," David said in the documentary.
Presenter Golden Mtika, also adds to the claims by saying he was once forced to intervene during a vigilante attack on David, after he raped somebody.
However, when approached by DRUM to answer questions about his behaviour, Rustenburg-born David said he was paid to make up the lies.
"That man said to me I must come up with a story because he has been covering murders. So I came up with the topic of rape, because he had done murders multiple times and he wanted something different. He then told me what to say. He had a script written on paper…he even read it to me first before we started shooting the documentary."
David further explains that he was approached by Mtika to do the documentary under the assumption that he was acting for a drama series that will be aired in the UK.
"Golden approached me…he told me we were doing a drama, and this drama wasn't going to be released in SA but in Britain," an emotional David confessed. "So he told me that if it is accepted, he can pay me for it. So I asked him if this thing wouldn't cause me a problem and he said no, it won't reach South Africa.
"Then on Monday, he tells me that the story will be out on the same day and I have to run away. He told me to find a place and he will rent it out for me. He told me that this thing is dangerous and I asked him how can that be, because we talked about it. On that Monday, I saw pictures on Facebook, asking me what is happening. He then told me to pack my things and go into hiding for three months but I said to him how can I run when there is nothing I have done wrong? For me to be scared means that there is something I have done wrong."
David claims he was paid R350 to say he was a rapist and had assaulted between 21 and 24 women. "All those things that I say in the video are things Golden told me, all of them. I did it the way he wanted it done…even the white people said it was excellent.”
He further adds that he has never met the woman in the documentary who claims she is his ex-girlfriend.
"That woman, I don't know her. I've never seen her with my own eyes. Even she doesn't know me. She probably only knows me by seeing me in that video. I don't know her, she is nothing to me.
DRUM spoke to Ndivhuwo Ramaphalala, who corroborated David's story that they had never met. She also denies that contrary to what she said in the video, she does not have HIV.
She further adds that it's not the first time Golden has hired her for one of his documentaries.
"It's not the first time he has come to me asking for such things. I did another one where he was discussing Zimbabweans coming to South Africa. He asked me to act like someone who comes from Zimbabwe."
Speaking on the allegations made in My Neighbour the Rapist, David insists everything he was told to say in the documentary is a lie. "[The allegations that I raped 24 women] is not true. Everything that came out of that documentary was from Golden because they had planned it from the start."
According to David, he has known Mtika for more than 20 years, having previously worked with him at other jobs.
"It's not true what Golden is saying, where he claims (in the documentary) where he says he doesn't know me but he knows my father. I have worked with him at Daily Sun and StarSat, so how can he say he doesn't know me."
Since the release of the video, David has spoken to community leaders and reported the matter to the police.
Captain Doniah Mothutsane, of the Diepsloot Police Station, confirmed to DRUM that they were aware of the video and that investigations were ongoing.
"We are aware of the video and we are at this stage verifying its authenticity," she told DRUM.
"We do however wish to encourage members of the public who are aware of crimes committed against women and children, to report such incidents or persons so that police can investigate and for justice to take its course. All acts of mob justice and vigilantism are always condemned by police as they border on criminality."
DRUM also contacted Golden Mtika for comment following the allegations against him, but he referred us to his producer.
BBC World News spokesperson Marina Forsythe denied the allegations made against them and responded: "The BBC has reviewed its production of the film which fully complies with our editorial standards.
"There was no scripting of interviews and all interviewees provided accounts with full consent. It is completely untrue that any money was paid to contributors to take part in this documentary. We stand by our journalism."
Watch our interview with David and other members of the Diepsloot community here: