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The fight on behalf of women and children in sexual violence war

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Dear Editor

Tomorrow, 25 November 2023, South Africa launches 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children while many of our women and children in the Eastern Cape are casualties of a sexual violence war raging in the province.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) crime statistics for the second quarter of 2023 (July – September 2023) tells the harrowing story of the Eastern Cape as the rape capital of South Africa.

There were 1,655 cases of rape opened across the province during this time, indicating a rape ratio of 25 individuals out of every 100 000.

Four Eastern Cape police stations fall within the top 30 stations for rape in the country. These are:

Lusikisiki (fourth in the country with 66 cases reported), Mthatha (fifth with 64 cases reported), Mount Frere (27th with 40 cases reported) and Mbizana (30th with 39 cases reported).

The DA Women’s Network (DAWN) in the Eastern Cape will be embarking on a series of oversight inspections at police stations situated in rape hotspots to ascertain if SAPS have access to adequate rape kits.

The availability of rape kits at police stations are the most important method of evidence collection to ensure that rapists are put behind bars and not be allowed to go free to further prey on our women and children.

We will also assess the state of victim friendly rooms and the availability of suitably trained personnel to deal with trauma directed by victims.

The ANC government and SAPS need to get serious about protecting our women and children and not view 16 Days of Activism as just another box-ticking exercise – too many perpetrators are walking around free due to their failures.

DAWN EC will continue to fight that those who commit heinous sexual crimes against the most vulnerable members in our society are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The Eastern Cape cannot continue to be a war zone for women and children

We will not leave our women and children behind to fight this battle alone – enough is enough!

Regards

Nomvano Zibonda MPL
DA Women’s Network EC Provincial Chairperson

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