Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Security fears were raised about resort where disabled teenager was raped
SIX months before a disabled teenager was raped at Pine Forest holiday resort in Ceres, the local newspaper published a letter in which a plot owner described security as “pathetic to say the least” and asked Witzenberg Municipality when it would remedy the situation.
In the letter in 2008, Chris Kemp wrote to then- mayor Kevin Klaasen asking if it intended to wait until someone was attacked.
In his response, Klaasen said the municipality had taken steps to improve security, including installing security cameras.
About six months later the disabled teenager was raped at the resort, where she was on holiday.
She was with South African missionaries who had rescued her from near death at an orphanage in Bulgaria and brought her to South Africa.
They are holding the municipality responsible for the incident and say it could have been prevented. In court this week the teenager’s advocate, John Whitehead, put Kemp’s letter and the mayor’s response to security expert Julian Kasaval, who compiled a report on Pine Forest.
Kasaval’s opinion was it could not be said with any certainty additional security could have prevented the rape.
According to his research, there were no stipulations on how to prevent rape, other than advice to women on how to protect themselves.
It was the first time a rape had been reported at Pine Forest and, at the time, the resort had been in existence for about 50 years, Kasaval said.
Two teenaged boys pleaded guilty to criminal charges in the Paarl Regional Court in 2010.
According to the evidence, presented to the court they were regular users of the resort facilities and known to security officials.
The trial continues before Acting Judge Michael Donen.
fatima.schroeder@inl.co.za