A 17-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted by seven men on 03 January in the Bambamatches area, according to police reports.

The incident occurred when the owner of a local salon left the victim alone to retrieve food from his nearby home. During his absence, a group of men reportedly entered the premises and forced the teenager into a nearby room.

“The victim stated that the men confined her and subjected her to an ordeal throughout the night,” said police spokesperson Jabu Ndubane. “She reported that a passerby assisted her the following morning by unlocking the door. By then, the suspects had fled the scene.”

Authorities have arrested one of the suspects, a 20-year-old foreign national, who appeared in the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court on 07 January. He remains in custody.

Ndubane added that investigations have revealed the suspect’s status as a Mozambican national. Officials are working with the Department of Home Affairs, and additional charges related to immigration violations may be brought against him.

A manhunt is underway for the six remaining suspects. Police have urged community members to provide any information that could assist in the investigation.