Violence Against Women
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola said the information was initially shared amongst police to find those responsible for the crimes and was meant with no ill intent.
JOHANNESBURG - The South African Police Service (Saps) has apologized for the release of the personal information of eight women who were raped in Krugersdorp last year. The gruesome incident happened while the group of women were shooting a music video at an abandoned mine dump in West Village, in July.
The National Police Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, said that as police investigated the matter, the final report found the personal information of the victims was released inappropriately. The survivors’ names, surnames, ages, and physical addresses were shared on police WhatsApp groups. Such details subsequently ended up on social media.
Masemola said the information was initially shared amongst police officers to find those responsible for the crimes and was meant with no ill intent.
“The Saps regrets the disclosure of such personal information and apologizes to the victims of the dreadful crimes for the information breach and the hardship caused as a result,” said the police’s Athlenda Mathe.
The Saps management continues to issue directives and drive internal awareness campaigns within the service in an endeavor to avoid a repeat of such information breaches.