Two suspects shot dead, 65 arrested after gang rapes eight women in Krugersdorp

Two suspects were fatally shot and 65 arrested during a multi-disciplinary operation in Krugersdorp on Friday.

This after a multi-disciplinary team of law enforcement agencies and security companies, led by the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, following an incident of gang rape and armed robbery where a production company’s crew was attacked in Krugersdorp, West Village, on Thursday.

The operation, also joined by Mogale City mayor Tyrone Gray and his team, resulted in the arrest of 65 suspects for contravention of the Immigration Act, including one that is hospitalised for gunshot treatment, according Brigadier Brenda Muridili.

Two more suspects were fatally shot after allegedly pointing firearms during police operations. Two unlicensed firearms, explosives as well as other items that belong to the victims have since been recovered.

The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences is investigating 32 counts of rape following the rape of the eight women as well as a case of armed robbery.

Earlier

Three suspects have been arrested following the rape and robbery of eight women while they were shooting a music video near an old unused mining dump in West Village, Krugersdorp, on Thursday.

According to Police Minister Bheki Cele, a manhunt is underway to look for more suspects believed to have been part of the gang that attacked the film crew.

“It was 22 people; 12 women and 10 men. Two hours after they had arrived the men attacked them and they tried to run away. They shot at them and forced them to lie down,” Cele said during the ANC national policy conference at Nasrec in Johannesburg.

“And then 10 other similar men came and they started to rape them, eight women were raped.”

The women are believed to be from Alexandra and Soweto.

Cele said three of the women were gang raped. One was raped by 10 men “simultaneously, exchanging on her”, another by eight men and the last one by six. He also said the women ranged from 19 to 35 years old.

It is believed that the men robbed the victims of their clothes, cellphones, rings, passports, watches, handbags, cash, camera and other valuables to the value of at least R1.5 million.

“That’s a bad situation; most of them are young girls around Johannesburg. And their job, they look like models who were just there to make this music video,” Cele added.

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Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela said he mobilised maximum resources to hunt down the perpetrators. The police have opened cases of rape and armed robbery.

Meanwhile, director of community safety at Action Society, Ian Cameron, said the gang rape of the women in Krugersdorp was horrific. He also blamed cadre deployment which he said destroyed crime intelligence and preventative measures in the country’s police service. 

“The president’s condemnation and shock mean nothing. It won’t make the women’s traumatic experience better,” said Cameron.

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“It is because of his – and his predecessors’ – appointment of incompetent cadres in the South African Police Service and the criminal justice system that people – especially women – in this country live in fear.”

“Action Society has long been saying that Minister Cele is out of his depth in managing the Saps, and this is yet another example of why he should get the boot.”

Cameron said President Cyril Ramaphosa called the incident ‘a manifestation of how gender-based violence spreads’ and said the conference must develop ways to support women and instructed Cele to leave no stone unturned in apprehending the perpetrators.

Action Society listed a number of steps to create a successful police force, including a skills audit in the Saps to determine the merit of appointments and sack members not appointed on merit.

reitumetsem@citizen.co.za