SAPS sorry for breach of personal info of Krugersdorp gang rape survivors
National police have issued a public apology to the survivors of the Krugersdorp gang rape after their personal information was unlawfully published.
APS spokesperson Athlende Mathe says the names, addresses and ages of the eight women were leaked last year.
"During the process of tracing the suspects the SAPS Management of Gauteng, the relevant district, stations and units were alerted of the crime and requested to mobilize resources to trace the suspects.
WhatsApp messages were used to communicate due to the urgency of tracing the suspects.
"Unfortunately, the personal information of the above-mentioned victims was disclosed in the WhatsApp messages on SAPS WhatsApp groups, which found its way to social media.”
The women were shooting a music video at an abandoned mine dump in West Village in July when they were attacked.
The national police commissioner ordered an internal departmental investigation into the matter.
Mathe says management will run awareness campaigns internally to prevent the repeat of a breach of information.
"The SAPS regrets the disclosure of such personal information and apologises to the victims of the dreadful crimes for the information breach and the hardship caused as a result."
