Representatives from the Police and the Justice Department have briefed Parliament Multiparty Women’s Caucus on challenges and successes in fighting gender-based violence.
The Justice Department is developing more child and teenager friendly courts, but the Thuthuzela Care Centres, where rape survivors can find assistance, are still buckling under limited funding and insufficient staff.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it battles to keep the 55 Thuthuzela Care Centres functioning optimally.
Acting Special Director Pierre Smith says they are generally understaffed and underfunded. But they hope that with the funding allocated from the Criminal Asset Recovery Account, they will be able to open six more centres in the coming financial year.
Smith says more than half of the victims are children and almost all of them are sexually assaulted. “Stood at 58% all children and 90% are sexual offences. During the first quarter of the year obviously, there was a decline due to lockdown but since regulations have been relaxed we saw a significant increase. Between August and Oct, there was a 38% increase in cases reported on-site.”
Police told MPs that they are working towards having a Gender-Based Violence desk at every police station, with members who are properly trained and that rape kits will be available at every station.
The lack of rape kits at police stations has been raised many times by MPs in recent months. Lieutenant General Moeketsi Sempe assured MPs that thousands of rape kits have been sourced and will be available.
“So we can assure the committee that during the course of the festive season, no police station will be without rape kits.”
Parliament has also held a two-day National Men’s Parliament to deliberate on GBV resolutions:
Child and teenage friendly courts
The Justice Department officials told MPs that they are making progress with child and teenage-friendly courts and that several measures are put in place to make interaction with the criminal justice system less traumatic for victims of Gender-Based Violence.
But one of the MPs, Sylvia Lucas, reminded them that the reality on the ground is vastly different.
“How do you ensure victims are experiencing the wonderful services displayed here? The implementation is an issue. The attitude of those supposed to deliver services, also orientation. I heard about Sajay, heard of training but who is monitoring that those who get training, that they deliver that service with compassion.”
Poor service
The Deputy Minister of Justice, John Jeffery, called on communities to immediately report poor service delivery. “Deputy Chair of NCOP, Lucas, about service delivery issues, that does also happen but people should report that. No one should accept poor service delivery.”
