Durban – A French national employed by luxury resort chain Club Med in South Africa has been charged with the rape and sexual assault of a teenage guest, prosecutors said on Wednesday.
The teenager was holidaying at the resort with his family on South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal coast, local media reported.
Opened in July in Ballito, north of the port city of Durban, the resort is a flagship project for the French holiday group and the largest investment in South Africa’s tourism sector in nearly half a century, according to the French embassy in Pretoria.
The 35-year-old accused appeared in court on Tuesday and “was granted release on bail of 5,000 rand ($300). He is charged with rape and sexual assault,” a spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority told AFP.
His bail conditions include surrendering his passport, notifying police before changing his verified address and refraining from contacting witnesses, they said.
The accused is a GO or “gentil organisateur” responsible for organising activities and entertainment for guests, according to South African news outlet News24.
Prosecutors allege that he drank alcohol with the teenager, before inviting him to staff-only accommodation where he allegedly raped him.
According to local media reports, the victim and his parents suspect his drinks may have been spiked.
He was arrested on July 23, the day after the alleged incident.
Club Med said it “takes any allegation of sexual assault or inappropriate behaviour extremely seriously”, and had activated its “crisis and safeguarding procedures” once it was made aware of the incident.
“The employee concerned was placed on precautionary suspension pending the outcome of the ongoing investigations,” they said in a statement to AFP.
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Source: AFP
