MBOMBELA – Only a small number of rapes which are reported to the police end in successful convictions. Ms Jane Sithole, DA MPL, reacted in horror to the statistics this weekend. This was in response to information, gained from the police, which safety and security MEC Mr Vusi Shongwe submitted in response to the party’s written questions.
According to the statistics, the conviction rate was at six per cent for cases reported between March 2013 until this year.
“That is only the reported cases,” Sithole said. “Someone is letting the victims down.”
Incidents reported in Acornhoek saw one conviction out of the 1 043 cases reported between 2013 and 2015. KaNyamazane fared better with 6,9 per cent of the 1 114 reported cases ending in convictions. Mbombela gained a three per cent conviction rate on 302 cases and Lydenburg a 2,4 per cent rate on 125 cases.
Sithole called the statistics “spine-chilling”. “It does not only serve as a deterrent for the victims to report these heinous crimes, but it also puts the same victims in untenable positions where they have to live side by side with the perpetrators on a daily basis. Victims are losing faith in our justice system and will subsequently fear to report these cases.”
She called for the establishment of teams dedicated to work solely on specific crime categories and specialised victims units to be capacitated.
“The minister (of police, Mr Nkosinathi Nhleko) must ensure that the specialised victims units in Mpumalanga are equipped and fully functional.”
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