The Mayor of Matatiele Local Municipality, Patrick Stuurman, has entered the fray over the controversial “Vela Star Wam” social media group, condemning what he described as a form of cyberbullying targeting men and warning families against acting on unverified allegations circulating online.
The group, which has reportedly attracted widespread attention in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape, is accused of publishing photographs and personal information about men, including allegations concerning their romantic relationships and private sexual lives.
Stuurman said the controversy should not be allowed to fuel conflict within families, particularly because many of the claims circulating on social media had not been independently verified.
“Let us make it unequivocally clear that the allegations and claims circulating in this group have not been independently verified. We therefore appeal to families not to allow themselves to be torn apart by information whose authenticity remains unconfirmed,” Stuurman said.
His intervention comes as several men in Matatiele have reportedly approached the South African Police Service (SAPS) to open cases over material they claim has damaged their dignity, reputations and relationships.
The men allege that the group exposes intimate details of their private lives and subjects them to humiliating commentary. Some have reportedly been labelled “Abafonyozi”, a derogatory term allegedly used to describe men accused of experiencing premature ejaculation.
One man said information about his private relationships was allegedly exposed to his own child, leaving him deeply uncomfortable.
“We no longer feel safe within our own families, we are being confronted with questions to which we have no answers,” he said.
The group allegedly posts photographs of men before inviting comments and discussions about their personal lives and relationships. Some alleged victims claim, however, that the platform has also been used to target men because of jealousy over their success or progress in life.
SAPS investigators in Matatiele are reportedly tracking down about 15 women suspected of being involved in managing the group and publishing the material. The men who have opened cases have cited defamation and what they describe as character assassination.
Stuurman urged those affected by the controversy to exercise restraint and avoid making decisions driven by anger or emotion.
He also appealed to those behind the group to consider suspending their activities to allow tensions in the community to subside.
The mayor further placed the controversy within the broader discussion around gender-based violence (GBV), arguing that the impact of abuse and humiliation should not be viewed exclusively through the experiences of women.
While GBV has traditionally focused largely on violence against women, Stuurman warned that men could also experience psychological distress and harm as a result of public humiliation and abuse.
His comments come as Matatiele municipal employee Salathiso Ntabeni also raised concerns about the growing impact of the social media controversy, particularly because some of the men allegedly targeted are public representatives with families and children.
Ntabeni said the matter could no longer simply be dismissed as social media gossip and called for greater public education around cyberbullying and the responsible use of social media.
He also called for increased awareness of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), particularly regarding the sharing of photographs and private information without consent.
Ntabeni further raised an allegation that a man had taken his own life because of the controversy. However, this claim has not been independently verified.
The “Vela Star Wam” phenomenon is reportedly not confined to Matatiele. Similar trends have allegedly been reported in parts of Gauteng, including the Vaal, as well as Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of the country.
As tensions continue to build, community leaders are calling for caution, with the mayor warning families not to allow unverified social media allegations to trigger irreversible decisions or further conflict.
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