Cops called to prioritise GBV cases this festive season

The officers were also told to put at the top of the agenda the overall safety of women and children during this period.

The clarion call to the men and women in blue was made by police minister Bheki Cele when he kick-started the safer festive season inspection tour on Monday, December 13.

Cele was joined by his deputy Cassel Mathale, national police commissioner General Khehla Sitole and other members of the SAPS management team.

The focus on GBV and the safety of women and children was attributed to by the “shockingly” high rape statistics recorded in the most recent crime statistics.

Cele said police officers should at all times prioritise assisting survivors of GBV in their time of need and ensure the perpetrators of such crimes were arrested swiftly.

“I know there are many officers who go beyond the call of duty every day to help GBV victims. However, it is deeply disturbing that some chose to disgrace the service and subject victims to substandard treatment at police stations and in some instances even turn people away,” Cele said.

He said that while many rapes occurred at places police could not reach – such as private homes – law-enforcers should assist victims with “outmost compassion and professionalism, no matter what” when they opened cased.

“We expect this kind of service in all our police stations and those officers who fail to meet this instruction, must be reported and shown the door,” he said.

He also said it was important to empower police officers to improve their service towards victims and survivors of GBV.

“However, some of these crimes can be prevented through police visibility in areas of leisure, since the national crime statistics indicate sexual assaults and attacks most likely occur in the vicinity where alcohol is consumed,” Cele said.

He was encouraged by the setting up of dedicated GBV desks staffed by specifically trained officers to deal with such complaints and cases at police stations.

“GBV desks are already active at some of the identified top 30 GBV hotspots across the country. The goal is to have one GBV desk at each police station,” Cele said.

During the release of the crime statistics last month, Cele said a total of 9 556 women were raped between July and September.

He said this was an increase of 634 cases, translating to a 7,1% increase compared to the same period last year.

Cele said that Temba police station in Gauteng, Thohoyandou station in Limpopo and the Eastern Cape’s Lusikisiki and Inanda in KwaZulu-Natal police stations, had recorded the highest incidents of rape.

Out of a sample of 6 144 rape cases, it was revealed that 3 951 such incidents took place in the home of the victim or the rapist, while liquor and drugs were said to have been involved in 1 383 of the rape cases, and 400 rape cases were domestic violence-related – meaning the victim and perpetrator had a relationship.

During the inspection tour, Cele and the SAPS management also interacted with motorists at roadblocks and also engaged with shoppers at local malls.