Johannesburg - The Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has on Monday called for an immediate intervention strategy by Gauteng law enforcement agencies to arrest those involved in the recent rapes and murders of women and children in communities.
This comes after eight models were gang raped on Friday while they were shooting a music video near a Krugersdorp mining dump.
It is believed that the filming crew from The Red Button were also robbed of their equipment during the harrowing ordeal. During the incident, the group allegedly ordered the crew to lie down while they searched them.
The illegal miners then apparently whistled which signalled for about 10 other men wearing Basotho blankets and balaclavas to join them. The group then allegedly began taking the women, one by one, into the open veld where they gang-raped them.
It is believed that this continued several times while the crew were also allegedly robbed of their clothes, cellphones, jewellery, handbags, equipment and other valuables estimated to be valued at R1.5 million.
More then 80 illegal miners plying their trade in abandoned mines around West Village, Krugersdorp, have since been arrested by the police as they investigate 32 counts of rape and multiple counts of robbery.
The Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety Chairperson Alphina Ndlovana, said that they were “appalled by this senseless and barbaric act by men, hellbent to continue terrorising women and children in our communities”.
She added that over the past two months, Gauteng has witnessed brutal crimes and violence meted out against peace loving residents, “who are supposed to be living in this beautiful Province without any fear of falling victim to violence and crime.”
Ndlovana also urged the province’s residents to unite and join hands with law enforcement agencies to put an end to the endemic crime plaguing communities.
“Residents must start playing their critical role of proactively reporting any suspected criminals and acts of crime to law enforcement agencies before they even occur.
“The Province has come to a stage where enough is enough, and we encourage every member of the public to get involved and play an active role in reclaiming our communities and making them safe for all.”
The Committee commended law enforcement agencies for the arrest of those linked to the Krugersdorp rapes and called for more “tireless efforts” to pursue and nab those who were still at large.
Police have also urged those who have information on the matter to contact the #CrimeStop toll free number on 08600 10111 or to send tip-offs via #MySAPSApp which can be downloaded on any smartphone.
The nation is set to commemorate Women’s Month this August, with the official launch set to take place at Olive Conference Centre in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday.
On Friday, while he was in attendance at the ANC’s policy conference at Nasrec, President Cyril Ramaphosa called the Krugersdorp rape incident “a manifestation of how gender-based violence spreads”. Ramaphosa added that the conference had to develop ways to support women and instructed “Comrade” Bheki Cele to leave no stone unturned in apprehending the perpetrators.