“We have been living in fear”

ALL they wanted to do was shoot a music video, but for the eight women who chose to use an abandoned mineshaft in Krugersdorp as their setting, their lives would never be the same again.

The women and their crew were robbed and raped on Thursday night.

The crew of 22 people were accosted at gunpoint by alleged “Zama Zamas” (people who work illegally in abandoned mineshafts in order to retrieve metals or minerals).

Police Minister Bheki Cele on Friday night said some of the women were gang-raped. By yesterday 85 suspects had been arrested, two of who were shot for resisting arrest.

While it was unclear if any of the suspects were directly linked to the cases of rape, they were arrested for contravention of the Immigration Act.

Firearms, explosives and other items that belong to the victims have been recovered, said Brigadier Brenda Muridili, Gauteng police spokesperson.

The family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit was investigating 32 counts of rape, and a case of

“The suspects are to appear in the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday or Tuesday,” said Muridili.

Nicolene Trom, a community leader in Krugersdorp, said that what had happened to the women in the area was the norm and they had had to live in fear for most of their lives.

“Maybe from now on we will be listened to,” she said.

“The community has often engaged relevant authorities but nothing has helped.

“What is even more sad is that this is making news today but in a week or so, it will be back to how it used to be,” said Trom.

She said that they were positive the perpetrators were Lesotho nationals.

“We see these people coming out of the mine shafts, wearing the Basotho blankets, in which they hide weapons that they use to terrorise the community,” said Trom.

She said that community members could not go to shops or church as they were afraid of the Zama Zamas.

“Public transport doesn’t come to West Village, they tell you, because it’s dangerous.”

Some of the women who were victimised were admitted to different hospitals while others were at home with their families.