The South African Police Service (Saps) has publicly apologized for disclosing personal information about eight women who were raped at an abandoned mine last year.
Last July, the women were raped while filming a music video at an abandoned mine in Krugersdorp, a mining town west of Johannesburg.
A gang of armed men attacked them.
According to National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola, as police investigated the case, the victims’ names, ages, and physical addresses were “released inappropriately,” but no ill intent was discovered.
According to police, the information was shared on police WhatsApp groups and ended up on public social media.
“The Saps regrets the disclosure of such personal information and expresses regret to the victims of the heinous crimes for the information breach and the hardship caused as a result,” the organization said in a statement.
Saps was ordered by the information regulator to apologize for violating several provisions of the law governing the protection of personal information.
It was noted that the police did not take appropriate, reasonable technical measures to prevent unauthorized access to the information.
14 people were arrested in connection with the rape, but the charges were later dropped due to a lack of evidence.
