NELSPRUIT – A 43-year-old woman was reportedly gang raped by seven men in the evening of Saturday, 01 October 2022 at around 23:00 at Mhluzi near Middelburg. Police have so far arrested a total of four suspects aged between 17 and 24 in connection with this incident.

According to the information, the woman is said to have accompanied a relative who had visited the family earlier and on her way back, she came across a group of men who were driving in a bakkie. The men allegedly alighted from the vehicle then dragged her to a nearby room where they took turns in raping her. At about 05:00 the next day, 02 October 2022, another man, believed to be residing in the said room arrived probably from work. Instead of the man rescuing the victim, he too allegedly joined the queue and raped her after chasing the suspects. Thereafter he fled the scene, leaving behind the woman who then reported the matter to the police. A rape case was opened and the docket was assigned to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit to probe.

On Monday, 03 October 2022, the four suspects were cornered and arrested by the police. They have appeared before the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court today, facing rape charges. The case was postponed to 11 October 2022 for a bail application. The suspects are remanded in custody. The men and women in blue are still in pursuit of the remaining suspects.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has strongly condemned this barbaric act. “This is disheartening for such men to have even thought about acting like wild animals and preyed on a defenceless woman. The law should indeed take its course. Our members will also work hard to arrest the remaining suspects. So far we applaud the team for arresting the four and we are confident that it is just a matter of time before outstanding ones are brought to book as well” said the General.

Source: South African Police Service