The women, who are aged between 19 and 37, were attacked when they were filming a music video on a mining waste dump in Krugersdorp, west of Johannesburg.

One of the eight victims told a local newspaper that a group of masked illegal miners ordered young men to rape the women and rob them of their belongings.

The suspects face charges including illegal mining and attempted murder. But it's still unclear if any has been charged with rape.

South African Police Minister Bheki Cele said that after meeting some of the survivors of the attack, he realised the impact it had had on them:

Quote Message: What happened in Krugersdorp is just the shame of the nation.

Quote Message: We were lucky to meet the families and the survivors.

Quote Message: When you see those people and you realise... the destruction which is not temporary, some of those destructions are permanent with those kids."