SA is not safe, cop tells UK tabloid
Sapa and Staff Reporter
Posted Wed, 20 Nov 2002

British tabloid The Sun on Tuesday quoted a member of the South African police as having issued a personal warning to tourists to South Africa following the weekend rape of a young British woman and the murder of another last month.

“Human life is worth absolutely nothing here. Murder, rape and robbery are an everyday occurrence. A holiday here could be your last,” said a senior South African cop reportedly told the tabloid.

According to The Sun, the police superintendent, who requested to remain anonymous, contacted them to urge people to stay away altogether.

“I beg you, tell your readers it is not safe to come to South Africa.

“This poor woman is added to a long list of UK citizens who have become the victims of barbaric crimes in South Africa. My only hope is that others may be spared a similar nightmare.

“I want to warn all Britons wanting to come here — stay at home.

“Otherwise your parents or children may also have to travel here to collect your remains. It is just not worth it,” reported The Sun.

Conway murder probe almost complete

Meanwhile, the docket in the case of two men accused of murdering a British tourist in Pilgrim's Rest, Mpumalanga, last month, would be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on Wednesday, a prosecutor said on Wednesday.

"The investigation has almost been completed," Graskop Magistrates Court state prosecutor Kees Gouws told Sapa.

The case against the two accused — Prince Mogane (19) and Richard Mashego (42) — was postponed on Wednesday until November 27 for a decision about their prosecution by the DPP.

Mogane was arrested after Briton Diane Conway (59) was shot dead in the Royal Hotel in Pilgrim's Rest on October 22. Her 55-year-old husband Jon was shot in the neck and seriously wounded.

Hotel employee Mashego was arrested after being implicated by Mogane.

British High Commission adjusting travel advice

And the British High Commission confirmed on Wednesday that it was making "minor changes" to its travel advice for Britons visiting South Africa following the gang-rape and hijacking of a British tourist at the weekend.

Acting High Commissioner Andy Sparkes told Sapa that the changes would probably appear on the official government website by the end of the day.

"A change is going to be made and you will be seeing it, I imagine, by the end of today (Wednesday). Its certainly not a radical change ...but there are some minor changes," Sparkes said.

Sparkes refused further comment on the specifics, saying only that both members of the public and officials could view the changes at will once the website was updated.

The 29-year-old Briton and her 26-year-old South African boyfriend were travelling on Mpumalanga's Long Tom Pass, famous for its scenic beauty, on Saturday when they were abducted by four hijackers and terrorised for some 14 hours.

The Briton was raped repeatedly and her boyfriend was stabbed.

Their ordeal came to an end when the hijackers overturned their car at 4am Sunday morning. Although the couple managed to escape, a passing motorist who stopped to help was shot dead.

The condition of the tourist, who was said to be severely traumatised, was described on Tuesday as satisfactory by an official from the commission. She is currently recovering at her boyfriend's home in Mpumalanga.

All four hijackers have since been arrested and charged with rape, murder, robbery and kidnapping. Two of the hijackers appeared in court on Tuesday. The other two are in hospital recovering from gunshot wounds they sustained while resisting arrest.