Luxury resort Club Med was tipped to restore the tourism shine to the KwaZulu-Natal north coast after it was ravaged by E. coli, the pandemic, looting and floods. But the R2.1bn beach-and-safari resort, which sells itself as an all-inclusive, family-friendly holiday where sharks pose the biggest threat, has been rocked by the alleged rape of an 18-year-old Canadian teen, 19 days after its official opening.
On Tuesday, a French-born gentle organiser (GO) ― resort staff who run activities and entertain guests ― was granted R5,000 bail in the KwaDukuza magistrate’s court.
The state claimed he plied the student, who studies outside Canada, with alcohol before allegedly raping and sexually assaulting him in his staff quarters, 300 metres away from where his parents slept.
However, the boutique manager, who studied nursing before joining Club Med in the French Alps in 2024, insists the sexual encounter on July 22 was consensual and initiated by the student, who told him he was 20.
Gender-justice activist Pearl Walsh, spokesperson for the Canadian family, who attended court proceedings, said the bail decision was a “slap in the face”.
Walsh said two weeks after the incident, there were delays in the processing of the rape kit and inspection of the crime scene, amid allegations the student’s drink was spiked.
She alleged resort management and a local tourism stakeholder have downplayed the traumatic incident and are more concerned about the impact on the hospitality industry.
Walsh said Club Med management only responded to the father three hours after the alleged assault and only reached out to the family to offer support after news broke in the media.
“He was seriously disorientated, more than just being drunk after the incident. So we are hoping the tests collected at the Stanger hospital will be able to provide the necessary evidence.”
Walsh said evidence pointed to an international trend of predators preying on victims on the eve of their departure, counting on them being too traumatised to undergo the legal process.
“This is exactly what happened in this case. The family were due to fly out the next day, but we were able to at least get him to a hospital for the necessary tests. The boy didn’t want to be involved in the court matter and insisted they fly home as per their booked flights on July 23,” said Walsh.
She said the family’s lives had been “irretrievably” changed by the incident and yet Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa head Brett Tungay claimed “it doesn’t look like it was a violent assault” during a radio broadcast.
“He owes the family an apology. They came to South Africa because it was sold as a safe holiday destination, yet now that trust has been completely violated.”
Tungay told the Sunday Times it was a tragic incident.
“There is alcohol involved and he wasn’t a minor, he was 18. Only the investigation will reveal what happened.
“Obviously this means huge negative publicity for the resort and this is not good for tourism. Covid-19, the riots and the floods took a huge amount out of tourism on the north coast, and after three years it was starting to turn around. An incident like this will affect tens of thousands of jobs in the hospitality industry.”
In his 13-page affidavit, the GO spelt out how he first met the Canadian on July 19 and spent the night drinking with guests and co-workers.
“As a matter of courtesy, I invited him to join us at our table. He told me that he was busy doing business and would join us later. He was on his phone. The complainant joined our table later. He spoke to all of us and became friendly toward me. He told me that he was on a short holiday with his family, was 20 years old and lived in London.”
“The complainant told me he was not on good terms with his girlfriend and that she did not accompany him on holiday. I replied: ‘That’s why I am gay!’”
He said the teen gave him his Instagram address and WhatsApp details.
He said he next saw the student three days later when he joined colleagues and other guests drinking beer at the bar.
“As the music played, some of the employees and I took to the dance floor. My co-employees and I danced to a choreographed sequence and we invited guests to join us in the dance. While I was dancing on the stage, the complainant was looking at me intensely and in a seductive manner while remaining seated at the table. When the music stopped, I returned to the table and we continued drinking.”
He said as the bar closed at midnight, he and the teen ordered extra drinks and went to his staff apartment near the hotel rooms.
“While with me the complainant communicated with his girlfriend on his telephone. He told her that he was spending time with me. At some point the complainant began speaking about sex to me. I told him that I was open to sexual relationships with men. At some stage thereafter, the complainant moved towards my bed. “
He said the boy dropped his trousers and then invited him to perform oral sex, which he did.
“After a while he asked me to stop and said he cannot continue because he has a girlfriend. I immediately stopped. He pulled up his pants, sat for a while and said that he was leaving. He then left my apartment. I estimate that it was about 3am (being July 23 2026).”
He then called him on WhatsApp several times, and he finally answered.
“In that call I asked him why did he leave. He replied: ‘I’ll meet you in London’ and then cut the call.”
He said he fell asleep and was arrested later the same day.
Lawyer Anand Nepaul, appointed by the French national, urged for leniency during the bail hearing.
“We must treat foreign nationals just as we would expect our own to be treated in their countries,” he told the court.
The court imposed several bail conditions.
The accused must surrender his passport, remain at his stated residential address and report to Umhlali Police Station every Monday. He is also prohibited from communicating with state witnesses or attempting to leave the country.
Pending the outcome of the case, the accused will reside at a guesthouse in Salt Rock, provided by his employers.
The resort said: “Club Med takes any allegation of sexual assault or inappropriate behaviour extremely seriously. The safety, respect and wellbeing of our guests and teams are at the heart of our values and remain an absolute priority.”
It said it has “activated its crisis and safeguarding procedures, and the employee was placed on precautionary suspension pending the outcome of the ongoing investigations”.
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