Johannesburg - Over 67 suspects have been arrested in Krugersdorp following the alleged rape of eight woman, who were sexually violated while shooting a music video at a mine dump.
The rape incident took place on Thursday and police have acted swiftly to arrest the suspects who allegedly ambushed and raped the women.
Police Minister Bheki Cele descended to the crime scene on Friday followed by senior policing officials, including police commissioner Fannie Masemola.
“I initially gave the figure that there were only three people that were arrested, but there are 67 people that have been arrested, they were found in the mountains and bushes and everywhere.”
It was further revealed that the arrest of 65 suspects for contravention of the Immigration Act, including one that is hospitalised for gunshot treatment.
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 suspects are arrested in connection to the ambush of a group of 22 people aged between 19 - 35 which consisted of 10 men and 12 women who were on the mine dump to shoot a music video.
The group of armed men covered in blankets are said to have ordered everyone to lay down and proceeded to rape eight of the women and robbed everyone of their belongings before fleeing the scene.
“There is a strong suspicion that will be confirmed by the officials who are here that most of the suspects are foriegn nationals including those that raped the kids, they seem to be foreigners.”
Cele added “Amonst the women that were there four were not raped. We are raising some concern around that, the police are however still investigating and it would be good to wait for those investigations to be concluded but also men that were there nine of them are Nigerians and not South African so there is a lot to be investigated in order to get to the bottom of this,” he said.
Cele said Masemola unleaded “some serious resources” including members of the specialized Special Task Force, Crime Intelligence, National Intervention Unit, Tactical Response Team, K9, Flying Squad, Highway Patrol, SAPS Airwing to effect the mass arrests.
Police said the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit was investigating 32 counts of rape following the rape of the eight women.
IOL