Expert slams Cele’s statement on decrease behind sexual offences

An associate at the African Centre for Security and Intelligence Eldred de Klerk has described as mere public relations Police Minister Bheki Cele’s statement that sexual offences in the country have decreased because government’s awareness campaigns are working.

Cele briefed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police on Friday on crime statistics for the third quarter of the 2021-2022 financial year.

The Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal police stations accounted for the most reported rape cases.

De Klerk says public relations will not address the country’s serious rape problem.

“Fancy ads on TV don’t take away patriarchy. We need to understand from the crime statistics, how many shelters for women have actually closed or more are being opened. We don’t understand where women who have been abused can seek refuge. We don’t understand what services are in place so that they can become survivors. This is where Health and Social Development and the police need to work hand with community organisations and with faith-based organisations and the Police Department to ensure that there’s a safety net for women.”

South Africa’s murder rate continues to rise and reported rape cases are down:

A Gender-based violence (GBV) activist has questioned whether the decrease in sexual offences is due to a lack of reporting. Non-profit organisation, Tekano’s Chief Executive Lebogang Ramafoko was reacting to the latest crime statistics.

Ramafoko says only 25% of rape cases successfully make it through the criminal justice system.

“Because so many rapes happen in the home and so many people for various reasons would rather not report. We do know that the correct statistics says that only 25% of rape cases actually make it through the criminal Justice system and to say that there is drop because of gender awareness and gender sensitisation, I really want to question that. Because we will never know whether or not the drop is as a result of people deciding not to report the rape cases.”

Below is the full crime stats report: