The station has the 17th highest recorded rape cases countrywide, 21st highest recorded sexual assaults, and 30th highest cash-in-transit heists. This is according to the latest crime statistics for January to March this year that were released last week by the minister of police, Bheki Cele.
The local police station recorded 42 rape cases, an increase of eight cases in the applicable three months when compared to the previous year. Sexual assault crimes increased by 100%, from two to four cases.
“The problem in our community is the lack of respect men have for women. Our men have lost the spirit of ubuntu. Alcohol plays a role with men blaming their behaviour on being drunk,” said Const Ridgewell Rikhotso, spokesperson of the police in Giyani.
“Many of these incidents happen in drinking places like taverns. Men target drunk ladies and assault them saying that they bought them alcohol so they should pay them back by having sex with them. “When the women refuse, they are dragged to dark places and raped,” he said. “As the police in Giyani, we are currently engaging with the ten chiefs in the area. We have already started in Siyandhani village to try and raise awareness of crimes that are running rife in our communities,” he said.
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He added that most perpetrators are from dysfunctional homes where there is little or no parental supervision. “They start engaging in crimes at a very young age, and many grow up going in and out of the juvenile correctional service centres. “We have asked the chiefs to call a meeting where all community members can be addressed, not only the stakeholders.” He said that a major problem is that some community members do not report crimes.
“They protect the criminals, and it becomes very difficult to work with them as they are not truthful,” he added. With regards to cash-in-transit heists, he said that they have engaged with the banks to alert them to the problem. “We will work with them on busy banking days so that we can heighten our visibility which will help with prevention. According to the statistics, no carjackings were reported and robberies at residential premises and nonresidential premises have decreased by 52,4% and 59,1% respectively.
A total of six murders were recorded in Giyani, one more than in the previous year, culminating in a 20% increase.
