Krugersdorp gang rape: Outcry as charges dropped

The community of West Village in Krugersdorp where eight women were allegedly raped by illegal miners, say they were failed by the police and judiciary after the rape charges were dropped against the zama zamas.

Residents gathered in a local park yesterday to pray for holy intervention, saying they have lost hope in the police. They claimed police were only visible for two weeks after the incident, but things were now “back to normal” as illegal miners continued to terrorise them.

Community leader and pastor Mervin Langeveld said the community was furious that rape charges were dropped.

“If these people were not the perpetrators, they know who did it. Right now, community members do not trust the police and judiciary. The women have been let down by these two institutions and we have also been let down,” said Langeveld.

On Thursday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) withdrew the charges of rape, sexual assault, and robbery with aggravating circumstances against all 14 men arrested for the 28 July incident. The women were allegedly gang-raped while filming a music video at a mine dump in Krugersdorp.

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NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said they will continue to prosecute the miners’ alleged contravention of the Immigration Act.

“Upon consultation with the complainants, and evidential material currently at the disposal of the NPA, it became apparent there is insufficient evidence to proceed with the prosecution. Investigations will continue in pursuit of justice for all women affected by this heinous crime,” said Mjonondwane.

Langeveld said it would not be easy for the police to win the fight against crime in their community and alleged some of the police were benefitting financially from the illegal miners. “Some of the police are fed by these people; these people are their cash cows,” he said.

Whistle-blowing in the community has to be kept low because the information might get to “wrong ears”, Langeveld claimed.

“People do not trust those in the security forces. There are people with information but who do we speak to because you might just speak to a wrong person?”

On Friday, in Durban, Police Minister Bheki Cele said a lot of people were arrested after the incident and the men charged with the crime were identified in a photo parade by the victims.

“The arrest was made based on that but because it was a sexual offense and rape, we had to go an extra mile and we went for the DNA. We wanted to be thorough and a second DNA was taken from those people but the DNA has come back negative,” said Cele.

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“We created a special team in the laboratories to deal with the issues of Krugersdorp.” Cele said when police went for the verification with the people who identified the 14 men, the victims were hesitant. “They were not as sure as they were [initially].

The NPA could then not take the matter forward. The investigations are [ongoing]. We are continuing with our investigation and we will finally crack the case.” Johan Burger of the Institution for Security Studies said police were sloppy in this case.

“Part of the problem could have been public, political and media pressure as everyone wanted to see results.

They pushed this thing to satisfy all these demands to have a breakthrough,” said Burger. Questions also needed to be asked about the competency of senior investigators, he said.

“What I find worrying is the role of senior members such as the branch command of the detectives. What sort of control did they excise to ensure those investigations were up to standards?”

– lungam@citizen.co.za

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