Higher Education Minister Naledi Pandor says her department must urgently finalise the policy on gender-based violence to curb incidents of rape at institutions of higher learning. In a reply to a Parliamentary question recently, Pandor revealed that over 47 rape cases were reported at various universities in 2017 alone.
Two months ago, Rhodes University law student Khensani Maseko made headlines after she reportedly committed suicide. She had accused her boyfriend of raping her in May this year.
Minister Pandor held discussions with student leaders and representatives of universities and colleges in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg on Friday to discuss possible solutions to the so-called “rape-culture” and other forms of sexual violence at institutions of higher learning.
“As the Department of Higher Education and Training we must work with speed to finalise the policy on gender-based violence… And to have it adopted and utilised by institutions. And I think we are discussing it for too long and we need to have something in place. I also think students must accept some role and responsibility, so the role of the SRC – and I was really paying attention – for leadership development and so on.”
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