KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube is devastated after three female security officers were raped given their male colleagues at the Department of transport offices in Merebank, eThekwini.

About eight armed criminals entered the offices by scaling a wall at 2.30 am on Monday and took hostage all six security guards on duty. They were bound with their shoelaces and assaulted. The women were raped at gunpoint.

Transport department spokesperson Kwanele Ncalane said: “The female staff have been taken for medical examination and cases have been opened with the police.”

“The criminals stole departmental work tools used for road maintenance and other assets.”

KwaZulu-Natal police have confirmed they are investigating cases of business robbery and rape. Head of department Siboniso Mbhele said staff are fearful.

“This will affect the morale and seriously affect service delivery. The cruelty of the criminals against female security officers is unacceptable. Crimes against women must be condemned by all of us, worse during such a critical campaign of no violence against women and children. We appeal to the police to activate a high-level investigating team to bring these heartless criminals to book. We are addressing security improvements at our premises to protect staff and equipment. We appeal to members of the community to work with the police to report anyone who is selling departmental equipment,” said Mbhele.

Dube-Ncube said: “We would like to offer our support to the victims of this senseless and barbaric act of criminality and violation of women’s dignity. The latest sexual attacks and rape of these three women is an embarrassment.”

She said the provincial government has assigned psychosocial support to the victims and affected staff and the necessary protection to support the victims. The provincial government is expected to visit the victims on Wednesday to further assess their condition. The premier said: “We are deeply saddened that these barbaric and animalistic attacks on women persist.

“The men who commit these crimes against their sisters and mothers in all honesty are less than human, and should be condemned to long-term imprisonment without the option of parole.”

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