Authorities in South Africa have arrested and charged 82 people after the gang rape of eight women. According to VOA, armed and masked men raped and robbed the victims while they were shooting a music video in the Krugersdorp mining area on July 28.
The suspects, who were arraigned before a court on Monday, are facing a slew of charges including illegal mining, attempted murder, possession of explosives, and violating immigration laws, per BBC. Authorities also said the suspects may have been behind the gang rape of the eight women.
The women told investigators that they were shooting a music video at a mine dump when 10 men confronted them. The suspects, who are illegal miners, hid their faces and opened fire in the air, one of the victims reportedly told a local news outlet.
RELATED STORIES
The victim also said the younger men in the group took turns raping them after a senior suspect ordered them to do so. The incident sparked outrage in South Africa and reignited the conversation of chemically castrating people found guilty of rape.
The country’s Police Minister, Bheki Cele, told VOA that the youngest victim was 19 years old. “Let me tell you, they’re quite traumatized. They’re not in a good shape, mentally or otherwise.” Cele said, adding that they are yet to determine if any of the suspects are directly linked to the gang rapes. Cele also said investigators will conduct forensic testing.
“Many people have been arrested but we need the real perpetrators among those people,” Cele said.
South Africa marks Women’s History Month in August. The executive director of Amnesty International South Africa, Shenilla Mohamed, said they were “outraged” by the incident.
“It is unacceptable that women and children in South Africa are still unsafe due to the high levels of domestic and sexual violence. Authorities must do much more to ensure that South Africa becomes a safer place for women and children and that they do not live in fear,” Mohamed said.
Rape and gender-based violence are very prevalent in South Africa. Authorities recorded over 36,000 rape cases in the 2020 – 2021 financial year.
