3rd suspect held for Bredasdorp rape
2013-02-08 12:17
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2013-02-08 10:36
The rape and murder of 17-year-old Anene Booysen in Bredasdorp has shaken the country. See an overview of the situation here.WATCH
Cape Town - A third man was arrested on Friday for the gang-rape, murder and mutilation of Bredasdorp teenager Anene Booysen, eNCA reported.
The 23-year-old suspect will appear in court next week with two others for Booysen’s brutal rape and murder.
Booysen was left for dead at a construction site near her home after visiting a sports bar on Friday night.
She had reportedly worked as a cleaner for Asla Construction.
Her aunt Wilma Brooks wept when describing Booysen's injuries to the Cape Argus.
"Her throat had been slit, all her fingers and both legs were broken, a broken glass bottle had been lodged in her, her stomach had been cut open... That which was supposed to be inside her body lay strewn across the scene where they found her," she said.
Booysen died in hospital on Saturday afternoon.
Her death provoked outrage from all sectors of society.
The Congress of SA Trade Unions was planning to deliver a memorandum to the Bredasdorp police station after Booysen's memorial service on Sunday.
Provincial Cosatu secretary Tony Ehrenreich said they would picket outside the magistrate's court on Tuesday to support Booysen's family and "display our disgust at this cowardly act".
Zuma calls for ‘harshest’ sentence
The Young Communist League of SA described the crimes as "stomach churning".
"We call, as an immediate measure, for a police officer in every police station nationwide to receive extra training around rape and sexual violence," spokesperson Khaya Xaba said.
"It is abhorrent that women reporting rape are often met with incredulous smirks by police. Police must be seen to be taking rape very seriously."
On Thursday, President Jacob Zuma described the crime as "shocking", "cruel" and "inhumane".
"Impose the harshest sentences on such crimes, as part of a concerted campaign to end this scourge in our society," he said.
"It has no place in our country. We must never allow ourselves to get used to these acts of base criminality to our women and children."
- SAPA
