FOUR young black men have allegedly been raped by their bosses and forced at gunpoint to drink urine from the toilet bowls in their workplace.

The attack allegedly happened a week ago in Blackheath, Cape Town, at a carpentry factory near the Mfuleni police station.

Police confirmed that they had arrested the owners of the AC Wendy's factory in Blackheath, and charged them with assault, indecent assault, crimen injuria and intimidation.

The accused will appear in the Blue Downs magistrate's court tomorrow and cannot be named until they have pleaded.

Bulelwa Nkomane, sister of victim Vuyani Nkomane, said that Nkomane was extremely distraught.

"He is not okay, he can't eat or sleep," she said.

SACP district organiser Benson Ngqentsu said that after a meeting with police bosses yesterday, the police had agreed to institute disciplinary proceedings against officers who had refused to open a case on the night of the incident.

But Western Cape police spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk would only say that the Mfuleni police refusal to open a case was "under investigation".

Two of the victims, Vuyani Nkomane and Sabelo Npushi, from Mfuleni, near Khayelitsha, agreed to be named.

The attack happened last week after the four, all aged between 20 and 26, went to the factory to look for casual work.

"They arrived early in the morning and were offered a day's work," said Ngqentsu yesterday.

"They worked from 7am to 11pm without a break. When they asked to be paid, their bosses first beat them up and then held them at gunpoint and forced them to suck their private parts."

Under the new Sexual Offences Act, forcing someone to perform oral sex is considered to be rape.

After they were allegedly raped, the bosses named the four "Zuma", "Blade", "Vavi" and "Malema" and demanded to know why black people had murdered AWB leader Eugéne Terre'Blanche.

According to Ngqentsu, the victims' heads were then forced into toilet bowls where they were forced to drink water mixed with urine.

"They escaped and went straight to the Mfuleni police station but the police said that because the perpetrators had guns, they would go to the factory another time.

"They then dropped the victims off at home without opening any case," said Ngqentsu.

The SACP marched on the police station for two days before a case of sexual assault was opened.

Sowetan is in possession of the case number.

Police at Mfuleni station confirmed that a case of sexual assault had been opened, but investigating officer, a Sergeant Gordon referred all comments to Mfuleni spokesperson Captain Muavha, who was not available.

Provincial police spokesperson November Philander said the provincial SAPS office would look into the case and respond later in writing.