The South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) base, the country’s outpost on the world’s southernmost continent, has been rocked by allegations of assault by a member of the expedition.
According to the BBC, staff members at the base include scientists, technicians, and a doctor. However, an allegation of assault has emerged, following earlier allegations of other forms of inappropriate behaviour. The staff are expected to stay there until December.
Members of the expedition had asked the government to “rescue” them, with the environmental ministry reportedly dealing with the concerns with the “utmost urgency”.
One expedition member had sent an email speaking about a “climate of fear” at the base.
News24 reports that the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has said that none of the nine team members stationed at the Sanae IV base were required to be brought back to Cape Town.
The department said the alleged perpetrator had willingly participated in further psychological evaluation, had shown remorse and was willing to cooperate to follow any recommended “interventions”.
The department added: “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.”
[Image: By Dr Ross Hofmeyr, Wildmedic (talk) 14:41, 17 August 2008 (UTC) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SANAE_IV_from_above_the_northern_buttress.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=584819]