{
  "id": 11867953,
  "title": "Howick grooming allegations put online safety of young girls in spotlight",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/howick-grooming-allegations-put-online-safety-of-young-girls-in",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-04T07:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/2026-10-04-howick-grooming-allegations-put-online-safety-of-young-girls-in-spotlight/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A disturbing case of alleged online grooming has come to light in the small town of Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, drawing attention to the vulnerability of young girls to such exploitation. Brad Nathanson, a former police officer now operating as a private investigator, has warned of a 31-year-old man who allegedly targets young girls in the picturesque town. Nathanson claims the man approaches girls at a local gym, gains their trust, and then develops a relationship with them through social media. According to Nathanson, at least 48 girls have reportedly sent him images of his penis or watched a video of him ejaculating onto paper with their names written on it. The youngest victim was just 15 years old when the man first contacted her. Nathanson alleges that the man first persuaded the girl to leave her parents' home, met her outside the family residence, and eventually took her to his parents' home. Nathanson has expressed deep concern over the case, stating that this was not a typical relationship but a predatory act involving a 31-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl. He emphasized that the girl has lost her youth and innocence. Nathanson has also heard of other incidents involving the same man, including being expelled from school and dismissed from his job after nude images were released. He also claims that employees have reported sexual harassment from this individual. The case is not isolated, as a suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, is currently facing charges of rape, human trafficking, and sexual grooming, allegedly targeting young girls. These allegations include rape, grooming through WhatsApp, and allegedly trafficking three individuals for sexual exploitation. The attorney at Marx and Bernard Attorneys, Amy Bernard, highlighted the importance of parents educating their children about sextortion, as once the image leaves a teenager's phone, they lose control over it and may become subject to threats or blackmail.",
  "summary": "A 31-year-old Howick man has been accused of sexually grooming young girls, as a private investigator and Childline KZN warn about the dangers of online exploitation and sexting.",
  "key_points": [
    "31-year-old man allegedly targets young girls in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal.",
    "At least 48 girls reportedly sent images of his penis or watched a video of him.",
    "Former police officer warns of predatory act involving a 15-year-old girl."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}