2 held for attack on tourists
Durban - Two young men, suspected of being responsible for several attacks on beaches along the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, were arrested this weekend after an attack on three foreign visitors.
All available police officers searched for the two suspects this weekend, after Andrea Cogomo, 30, his sister, Luisa, 29, and his girlfriend, Maria Martinez, 33, were attacked on Friday afternoon at the deserted Palm Beach near Port Edward.
The Cogomos are originally from Vereeniging, but now work in Britain, and Martinez comes from Spain.
In a furious struggle with the attackers, Martinez was stabbed in the thigh with a broken beer bottle and the Cogomos' hands and arms were cut when they resisted.
The attack comes after the murder of West Rand teenager Kalin Jooste, 16, during the December school holidays in Margate had international repercussions for the tourism industry on the South Coast.
Men fled with R50
Superintendent Zandra Hechter said the three were packing up their things just before 14:00 on the beach when the two attackers walked up and threatened them with a broken beer bottle.
Cogomo had been fishing from the rocks in the morning while his sister and girlfriend took photos.
The holidaymakers gave the two men R50 in cash, but resisted when the thieves also wanted the camera.
After the thieves fled with the money, the visitors drove to their hotel and phoned the police, said Hechter.
She added that the area chief of the South Coast police, assistant commissioner Frank Holloway, was told immediately about the attack and all available police helped in the large-scale search.
Hechter said Holloway regarded attacks like this in a serious light because he believed every attacker was a potential murderer or rapist.
Identity parade
The two 19-year-olds were arrested in the same house in the Nkulu area near Port Edward on Sunday about 05:30.
A cap that might be linked to one of several attacks on beaches at Palm Beach and Munster apparently was found with the suspects.
Police were to hold an identity parade on Monday and the two men were expected to appear on Tuesday in Ramsgate magistrate's court on charges of robbery and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
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