The Eastern Cape provincial police commissioner has ordered a task team be established to track, trace and arrest the perpetrators.

• The victim was attacked while returning home after walking a friend to her house at 22:00 on Friday.
• Police were investigating whether the suspects knew each other and had planned the incident together. 
• The rape was reportedly carried out in groups of four and three.

Eastern Cape police are hunting for 11 suspects for allegedly raping a 17-year-old at a soccer field in Tsolo on Friday.

The incident happened at 22:00 at New Homes location in the OR Tambo District, said Eastern Cape provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana.

The victim was attacked while returning to her place after walking a friend home.

“According to the information, the victim had accompanied her friend who visited her in her place and as she was returning back home, she met four unknown men who grabbed and dragged her to a nearby soccer field where they all allegedly raped her and left her in the field.

READ | Man arrested after ‘killing wife inside police station as she reported domestic violence case’

“Further reports indicate that the four suspects were later followed by others in groups of four and three, who continued to rape the victim.”

Kinana said it was, however, unclear at this stage if the group of suspects knew each other or had planned the crime together.

“It is also unknown if they originated from the same location. The investigation is expected to unearth and unpack all the truths and motives behind this act,” said Kinana. 

READ HERE | Uncle arrested after four-year-old nephew’s beheaded body found

Eastern Cape provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga, ordered a task team be established to track, trace and arrest the perpetrators “of this horrendous crime”, said Kinana.

No arrests had been made at this stage.

Anyone with information on the incident was urged to contact Sergeant Soyiso Sikhunyana on 079 890 0755 or to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 – the information would be treated with confidentiality.