The police have apologised for exposing the identity of the eight women who were raped in Krugersdorp last year. SAPS alleged that the names, surnames, ages and addresses of the victims were shared on internal WhatsApp groups before making its way to social media. 

GANG RAPE 

In July last year, eight women who were part of a film crew were gang raped and robbed while shooting a video in the mining area in Krugersdorp. They were approached by men wearing balaclavas and firing guns in the air. They raped them multiple times. The youngest of the women was 19. Fourteen zama zamas were arrested for the rape but the charges against them were withdrawn. The suspects were acquitted on all counts of rape, sexual assault and robbery with aggravating circumstances by the Krugersdorp Magistrates Court after DNA tests could not link them to the crime.  

INTERNAL INVESTIGATION  

Following the incident, the National Commissioner Fanie Masemola ordered an internal departmental investigation. According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the investigation was conducted and concluded. "The final report found that the victims' personal information was released inappropriately but no ill-intent was uncovered. This, however, still does not justify the sharing of such information. The information which was shared on various internal WhatsApp platforms of the SAPS sought to only mobilise all the necessary role players and resources in a bid to apprehend those responsible for the heinous crime, "said Mathe, adding that during the process of tracing the suspects, SAPS Management in Gauteng, the relevant district, stations and units were alerted of the crime and requested to mobilise resources to trace the suspects. "WhatsApp messages were used to communicate due to the urgency of tracing the suspects,' 

REGRETS 

Masemola said the SAPS regrets the disclosure of such personal information and apologises to the victims of the dreadful crimes for the information breach and the hardship caused as a result. "The SAPS assures all people in South Africa of its commitment to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013. "On behalf of the SAPS, I apologise unreservedly to the victims and their families. Crimes against women and children remain a priority for members of the SAPS. In the past financial year, 386 life sentences were handed down to perpetrators of Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) related crimes and during the same period 17 481 suspects were arrested for such crimes, "said General Masemola.