Gang terrorises tourists

**zulushark** · 31-10-2014, 15:41

http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/gen/ga...ises-tourists/

A wild Coast getaway to a popular Port St Johns backpackers turned into a nightmare when an armed gang raped, robbed and shot at patrons during a brazen Saturday night raid.The attack by masked men brandishing shotguns and knives at Amapondo Backpackers has rattled tourists and business in the popular seaside resort.

SCENE OF CRIME: Robbers struck at Amapondo Backpackers near Port St Johns at the weekend Picture: LOYISO MPALANTSHANE

Police spokesman Captain Mduduzi Godlwana yesterday told the Daily Dispatch a 20-year-old foreign student from Rhodes University – who was showering at the time – was raped by the gang, which overpowered a security guard and rounded up startled guests and staff from their rooms and a popular bar area around 10pm.An unnamed provincial government manager, who was visiting with his fiancee from Mthatha, was shot in the hand during a scuffle with the gang, and staff and patrons were allegedly assaulted and pistol-whipped.According to Godlwana, one of the alleged robbers – who was traced to a nearby tavern – was shot in the leg and hospitalised after a gunfight between the gang and police soon after the backpacker raid.He said the injured man was under police guard and faced charges of rape, house robbery and attempted murder.Four others, however, escaped and a task team has been formed to try and get them.Rhodes University student affairs head Dr Colleen Vassiliou yesterday confirmed that the traumatised international students were back in Grahamstown and receiving counselling.An internal Rhodes e-mail to staff and students yesterday from Orla Quinlan, director of the university’s international office, confirmed “an incident” had taken place in Port St Johns and that the students had “returned safely” to Grahamstown, but no mention was made of the horrific rape, shooting and robbery.Tightlipped spokesman Lebogang Hashatse said in an e-mail to Dispatch questions: “There is nothing more to say at this stage.”News of the raid spread like wildfire through the town and tourists, shop and lodge owners, fishermen and car guards yesterday expressed outrage.A co-owner of the nearby Lodge On The Beach, Cat Yazbek, yesterday said it was the second time a gang had raided the backpackers in the past three weeks.“It was disgusting and terrible. This time of the year things get very rough over here,” she said.According to Yazbek, the mood was festive during the end of the year as schools, companies and government officials hosted their year-end parties in the tourism town.The latest incident is at least the third attack in and around the Port St Johns area since New Year, when Cape Town architect and renowned South African sailor Rob Meek was gunned down minutes after popping champagne to celebrate the start of 2014.Saturday night’s raid has left guests and workers traumatised. Laptops, cash, cameras, cigarettes, liquor and cellphones were taken.Attempts to speak to management and patrons yesterday at the backpackers proved fruitless and the Dispatch was ordered to leave the property.A woman, who identified herself only as Amanda and claimed to be a co-owner of Amapondo, said the attack had left everybody traumatised.“This thing is going to damage us and it’s not fair. It’s my life, you know,” she said before walking away.An e-mail from Neil Clayton of Amapondo later said: “This is most unfortunate and as you can imagine, it is an extremely traumatic and most stressful situation for all concerned.“The victims of the incident have explicitly asked not to be named nor the details revealed to the public.”An angry supermarket manager in the town’s CBD – who declined to be named for “security reasons” – said many businesses had been under threat as a result of crime and alleged police inefficiency which had negatively impacted on tourism over the past two years.“We are not happy with the police service.“Three quarters of the time when you call them for a robbery or any suspicious activity you are told there are no vehicles – either they are broken down or they are out of town,” he said.One of three French-speaking tourists from Switzerland, who only gave her name as Stephanie, expressed shock at news of the incident.“Oh no don’t tell us about that, we don’t want to see it,” she said.