No arrests made in alleged rape case aboard MSC Musica

No arrests have been made a month after a 29-year-old musician and mother from Kraaifontein was allegedly being raped by a colleague aboard the MSC Musica.

The woman said she feels victimised by people she had trusted in the workspace for support and also reported the matter to her contractor.

Last month, police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk confirmed the case had been opened with the saps: “The mentioned case number is a rape case registered at Strandfontein SAPS for investigation. This case will be transferred to Mitchells Plain FCS for further investigation. Investigations continue.”

This week, Constable Ndakhe Gwala said there were no arrests: “Kindly be advised that the matter you are referring to is still under investigation; no arrest has been made yet.”

In response to the fact that there was a case opened with no arrests, MSC media communication said they could not respond while the matter was under investigation. “We are unable to comment on pending litigation. No arrest has been made yet.”

It is understood that the colleague, who is also South African and was part of a music duo with the woman, has since disembarked and has returned home. It is further understood that he is well-known in the music industry.

The woman, who cannot be identified, said she felt victimised following questioning after the incident, which implied she was complicit and not a victim.

“I am beginning to feel a sense of relief and recognise that I am making progress in processing the incident that occurred on the cruise,” she said. “However, the ongoing interviews and questioning have been emotionally difficult, and although I am able to speak about the events, each time I do so it feels as though I am reliving the experience.

“What has been particularly painful is reflecting on the trust and personal sacrifices I made. I supported him (a friend and colleague) extensively, assisting with paperwork, answering questions, advising which documents were needed for printing, and supporting him with training guidance.

“Additionally, the person I initially reached out to for guidance supported me at first, but after mediating between the accused and myself, he withdrew his support and misrepresented the situation by claiming I had willingly slept with the accused and was jeopardising both of our contracts.

"This significantly worsened the situation and caused further emotional harm, particularly as I had trusted him as well. At the time, I was far from home with no personal support system, which made the experience even more overwhelming.”

Cape Argus reached out to the person cited by the victim, who said he was not part of the contractor’s role and did not wish to be contacted via email. Queries to the contractor went unanswered.

The victim was contracted for a six-month Spanish/Portuguese route until May 2026. She alleges her dream opportunity became a nightmare on December 6. After reporting the incident to HR and her agency, she was allegedly told to continue performing with the perpetrator under a "show must go on" policy and warned about abrupt contract termination. She chose to involve MSC Security over Portuguese law enforcement.

The "trouble" allegedly began with inappropriate sexual remarks from her colleague, escalating to inappropriate comments, which she politely declined, trying to maintain a professional environment. Six days after boarding, following their set, the colleague allegedly followed her to her cabin, forced his way in, and sexually assaulted her despite her protests.

A few days later, in a separate incident at the crew bar, the colleague allegedly "attacked her in public," grabbing her neck, choking her, and whispering a remark before smiling and leaving. This led her to formally report the behaviour.

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