The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) confirmed an alleged assault between two members of the overwintering team of the SA Agulhas II in Antarctica has been resolved with intervention and a written apology.

In a statement shared with the media, DFFE said the matter had been resolved following an engagement between the two parties and mediation was held.

“The alleged assault between two members of the overwintering team was reported on February 27, 2025,” said DFFE.

“The Department immediately activated the response plan to engage the individuals involved through trained professionals in order to mediate and restore relationships at the base.

“This process has been ongoing on an almost daily basis in order to ensure that those on the base know that the Department is supportive and willing to do whatever is needed to restore the interpersonal relationships, but also firm in dealing with issues of discipline.”

They said DFFE Minister Dion George, together with the Director-General of the Department, Nomfundo Tshabalala, personally took charge of the management processes.

“This is particularly important given the fact that a majority of usual operations at all other scientific bases in Antarctica have stopped due to the onset of winter and unpredictable weather conditions,” they stated.

They said the alleged perpetrator willingly participated in further psychological evaluation, showed remorse and is willing to cooperate and to follow any interventions that are recommended.

“He has written a formal apology to the victim and is willing to verbally apologise to all members at the base. The Department has also implemented a longer term sustained intervention process through trained professional counselling services in order to restore the relationships and build a healthy working environment,” DFFE said.

The Department said they also activated a Labour Relations process to deal with the matter.

They added that alleged sexual harassment is also being investigated, while reports of sexual assault are not correct.

“The willingness of the team to engage in Wellness Programme interventions, as well as the professional and independent counselling will assist in crafting a solution. The ultimate goal would be that all at the SANAE IV are safe and healthy, working together as a team to advance the very important work they are performing in Antarctica.”

The DFFE said they had a proud history of managing the logistics and scientific support for South Africa’s National Antarctic Programme and that SA was also the only African country to have a presence in the Antarctic, a continent with some of the most extreme weather conditions on the planet, with a scientific base (SANAE IV) that houses a number of overwintering staff for a period of approximately 13 months.

The programme, which started in the 1960s, has collected valuable scientific data for over 50 years.

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DFFE resolves assault incident at Antarctic base, ensuring team safety