A music video shoot in an abandoned mine ends in nightmare for a South African film crew. Dozens of men storm the set, rob those present and rape eight women. President Ramaphosa speaks of a "appalling" act.
After a mass rape of eight women, the police in South Africa arrested 82 suspects. Officials were investigating at least 32 rape cases, police in the northern province of Gauteng said. Some of the victims were raped by up to ten men, said Police Minister Bheki Cele. The group of perpetrators also committed an armed robbery.
On Thursday, heavily armed perpetrators attacked a 22-strong film crew in the village of Krugersdorp near the economic metropolis of Johannesburg, which was shooting a music video in a disused mine. The eight women who were raped were all models between the ages of 19 and 35. According to the police, the attackers also stole wallets, mobile phones and jewelry and then fled the scene. Police officers shot dead two of the perpetrators as they fled.
"It looks like they are foreigners," Cele said on Friday, adding that they are "essentially zama zamas" - the term used to describe workers illegally digging in South Africa's mines. President Cyril Ramaphosa described the act as "appalling". Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi broke down in tears during a press interview. Residents of Krugersdorp told local TV station eNCA they have lived in fear since the incident.
Sexual assaults are a big problem in South Africa with its approximately 60 million inhabitants. On average, a rape is reported to the police every twelve minutes. According to police statistics, 10,818 people were raped in the first three months of this year alone. However, police believe the number of unreported cases is much higher, as most cases go unreported.
