The Taung Regional Court in the North West has sentenced a woman to five years imprisonment for failing to report the rape of her 15-year-old daughter allegedly by the child’s step father.
This story was been corrected on 25 July 2020: The Taung Regional court is in the North West and not the Northern Cape as was originally stated in the story published on 24 July 2020
Provincial police spokesperson Mashay Gameldien says the incident occurred in 2015 and the case was only reported in 2018 at the Pampierstad police station.
Gameldien says the case was transferred to the Taung Regional Court this month.
He says the stepfather must still go on trial.
“The incident occurred in 2015 and the case was only reported on 27 December 2018 at the Pampierstad Police Station. Both the stepfather and mother were arrested on 30 December 2018 by Sgt Sidwell Dastile of the Hartswater FCS Unit. Bail for both suspects were denied and they were remanded in custody until their court appearance.”
More cases
This incidence comes as, a 41-year-old man appeared in the Galeshewe Magistrate’s Court in Kimberley last month for allegedly raping his stepdaughter.
In another case, three relatives are appearing in the Kimberley Magistrate’s court for the alleged rape of their 7-year-old relative.
In the video below, SABC reporter Reginald Witbooi gives more details:
GBV cases increase during Level 3 Lockdown
The number of gender-based violence incidents reported since the start of level 3 of the national lockdown has increased. The Police Minister Bheki Cele linked the reopening of alcohol sales with the increase in violence against women, and crime in general.
In the video below, Cele is being interviewed:
Protests
There have been a number of protests across the country this year to highlight the scourge of gender-based violence in the country.
INFOGRAPHIC: How to report a rape case
