Cops target waterfront diners
Two women were ordered by two city policemen to pay a bribe, failing which they would be jailed and raped.
WHAT was supposed to be a pleasant Friday evening having dinner at the Tuzi Gazi Waterfront ended in trauma, shock and tears for two women visiting from Secunda.
This at the hands of the very people tasked to protect the community and uphold the law.
The two women were ordered by two city policemen to pay a bribe, failing which they would be jailed and raped.
Lost
After leaving the waterfront, the visitors got lost and stopped their car next to a road, believed to have been Bayview Boulevard, to consult their GPS for directions back to their accommodation at the La Rochelle B&B.
A marked police bakkie without a canopy appeared and stopped, but contrary to the tourists’ expectation, this was not out of concern for their safety.
Two uniformed policemen asked them where they were coming from, and on ascertaining they were out for dinner, reportedly casually remarked ‘then you probably had wine’.
Rape threat
They threatened the two women ‘to pay up or get jailed and raped’, according to the women’s statements later to La Rochelle owner Riëth Marais.
‘The policemen separated the women and said they would drive them separately to the police station,’ said Marais.
‘Scared out of their minds, they paid the policemen more than R1 000.
‘They then dropped the ladies off at La Rochelle, but took the gate remote.
‘When the ladies phoned me to open the gate for them, I thought they had simply lost their remote.
Hysterical
‘Then I found them outside crying hysterically and they told me about their devastating experience.
‘Not only are these women still utterly traumatised, but they have sworn to never return to Richards Bay again.
‘They left as early as possible to return to Secunda.’
The uMhlathuze Community Tourism Organisation’s Dave Savides said the culprits must be brought to book.
‘We simply cannot afford to have such incidents and it must be thoroughly investigated.
Reports
‘This is not the first time we have received reports of such incidents from locals as well as visitors.
‘When it comes to tourism, word of mouth travels fast and it is especially disturbing that this occurs near the Waterfront – a prime place for tourists to go.’
Richards Bay SAPS Station Commander Brigadier Brenda Mgenge gave the assurance that the incident ‘will certainly be thoroughly investigated’.
