An official of a European swimming team attending the International Paralympic Committee’s Swimming World Championships in Durban was gang-raped on the city’s beachfront, the Daily News reported on Friday.
The newspaper quoted sources as saying the woman had decided to go for a walk with a swimming official from another country on Tuesday night. They were attacked near the city’s beachfront paddling pools. The other official, a man, was held down while she was gang-raped.
Senior Superintendent Phindile Radebe said four men have since been arrested and are expected to appear in court shortly.
Speaking to the South African Press Association, Alison Burchell, the general manager of Disability Sport South Africa, appealed to the press to leave the two officials alone. ”Allow them the chance to get back the dignity that was taken from them,” she said.
Asked whether the incident would affect South Africa’s ability to host future Paralympic events, she said: ”I don’t think it will affect our intent, but we’ll have to go through the bidding process.”
She commended the South African Police Service’s efforts in apprehending the four suspects. ”That was super quick, especially in South Africa.”
The incident happened barely a day after the city unveiled its plans to boost beachfront security during the festive season. However, officials were unwilling to reveal how many extra police officers would be deployed on the beachfront.
The Democratic Alliance opposition leader in the eThekwini metro council, John Steenhuizen, said the attack highlights the fact that the city does not have a visible enough policing presence to prevent attacks.
Hotel guests in Durban are warned about going on to beaches and surrounding areas at night.
The Daily News quoted ”a source” in the hospitality industry as saying: ”This is horrifying, but what were they thinking going for a walk at that time of night?”
Steenhuizen said people should be allowed to stroll the beach areas at night. ”If we advertise ourselves as a tourist destination, then our guests should be safe 24 hours a day.”
He said ”the millions” the city spends on advertising will be wasted with ”just one of this kind of incident”.
Three teenage girls were raped at the same beachfront paddling pools in December last year. — Sapa