Everson Luhanga
Police have been maintaining a massive presence in Krugersdorp since news broke of the horrific gang rape and robbery of a film crew on Thursday.
On Saturday morning police arrested 17 more suspects adding to the 65 that were arrested on Friday.
Although some valuables believed to belong to the crew have been recovered, police have kept silent on whether any of those arrested are directly linked to the heinous crime.
Female residents in Krugersdorp say such crime has been the norm in the area where men, especially those wearing Basotho traditional attire, have been robbing and raping them.
Some women residents say the heavily armed men took them away from their partners in bed and raped them in the bushes.
Police have said they will maintain high visibility in the area. Different police units and law enforcement have been patrolling the area since the police minister Bheki Cele visited the area on Friday.
On that day police shot and killed two suspects and arrested 65 more.
While filming a music video, 22 people (12 women and 10 men) were allegedly attacked by a group of armed men clad in blankets, said Gauteng provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili.
“The suspects ordered everyone to lay down and proceeded to rape eight of the women and robbed everyone of their belongings, before fleeing the scene,” she said in a statement on Friday.
The operation involving law enforcement agencies and security companies was led by Gauteng provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela, and joined by Mogale City Executive Mayor Tyrone Gray.
A total of 65 suspects, including one that was taken to hospital with gunshot wounds, were arrested for contravention of the Immigration Act.
Brigadier Muridili said two more suspects were fatally shot after allegedly pointing firearms at the police. “Two unlicensed firearms and explosives, as well as other items that belong to the victims, have since been recovered,” she said.
The team included officials from Crime Intelligence, Special Task Force, National Intervention Unit, Tactical Response Team, K9, Flying Squad, Highway Patrol, Saps Airwing and Tracker helicopter, as well as the Department of Home Affairs and private security companies.
The Airwing and drones assisted the ground forces in tracking the fleeing suspects.
Police officers from the family violence, child protection, and sexual offences units are investigating 32 counts of rape, following the alleged rape of the eight women. A case of armed robbery is also being investigated.
Brigadier Muridili encouraged the public to report any criminal activities on the toll-free Saps Crime Stop number (08600 10111) or to send tip-offs via the MySAPS application, which can be downloaded on any smartphone.
Image source: SAPS
