Latest news with #GBV+F
IOL News
a day ago
- Health
- IOL News
Urgent action needed to address KZN's alarming rape statistics
NGO's say the deep-rooted issues that lead to gender-based violence need to be addressed. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives KwaZulu-Natal continues to report one of the highest rates of rape in South Africa, contributing 19.9% to the national total, according to the fourth quarter crime statistics released recently by the South African Police Service. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said that in the quarter under review, provinces such as the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo, North West, and the Western Cape recorded decreases in rape statistics. However, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal remained the biggest contributors, at 19.1% and 19.9% respectively. To address the crisis, Mchunu said the government had launched a 90-day Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBV+F) blitz. 'This includes the revival of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on GBV+F, tasked with coordinating government interventions, resolving systemic bottlenecks, and ensuring measurable progress,' he said. But activists say the government's efforts are not addressing the deep-rooted and devastating reality facing women and children in the province. 'It's incredibly difficult to determine the true scale of sexual violence in South Africa because an estimated 95% of rape cases go unreported,' said Women For Change founder and executive director, Sabrina Walter. 'In the official crime statistics published by SAPS, we only see a fraction of the reality, silenced by fear, shame, and a broken justice system.' Walter said the persistent high rape figures in KZN were driven by 'entrenched patriarchy, poverty, and the lack of accessible, trauma-informed support services'. She added that the stats showing that most rapes were committed by individuals known to the victims, and often in private homes, further underscored the need for community-based prevention strategies, said Walter. 'This is exactly why prevention must begin at home, within families, relationships, and communities. It's also why we focus on empowering bystanders, friends, neighbours, and relatives to speak out, intervene safely, and support survivors instead of staying silent.' On the state's response to GBV, Walter said the justice system was failing. 'Every single day, we hear from survivors who were turned away by police, refused the right to open a case, or watched as officers failed to arrest perpetrators, even in clear cases where protection orders were breached.' She called for ongoing, trauma-informed, survivor-centred training for police and for GBV to be declared a National Disaster. 'Without this formal recognition, GBVF continues to be treated as a secondary issue, despite thousands of women and children being harmed or killed every year.' The TEARS Foundation echoed this view, saying it had seen no evidence of a real decrease in rape, especially not in KZN. 'At The TEARS Foundation, we are deeply concerned by the narrative suggesting a national decline in rape cases,' the organisation said in a statement. 'What we are seeing is an increase in survivors being turned away at police stations, more cases being closed without prosecution, and fewer formal reports being made. These are not signs of progress. They are signs of a system that survivors are losing faith in.'
The Citizen
3 days ago
- The Citizen
Silent protest at Parktown High School for Girls targets GBV+F crisis
In the continuous fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBV+F), on May 26, Parktown High School for Girls organised a silent protest at the school. Learner and organiser of the initiative Ayanda Mehlomakhulu said she decided to be part of the initiative because she wanted to take a stand against the heinous crime. 'I decided to involve the school in taking a stand and having a moment of silence because GBV+F is a crime that is constantly on the rise, and nothing seems to be done about it.' Read more: TEARS Foundation and Avon South Africa unite against GBV Head girl Laura Helling added that one of the most important things about being part of the school was its culture to always be there for one another. 'Being a young woman in 2025 is about using your voice to speak up about issues that are important to our generation. GBV+F is one of the most horrific acts that affect our girls, and a crime we want to focus on.' Also read: Make #NoExcuse for GBV, be a Champion for Change Laura added that a few weeks ago, the school was invited to Parktown High School for Boys, where she addressed the school about GBV+F's seriousness, urging them to curb it in anyway they could. Last week, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu released the fourth-quarter statistics, highlighting that, to help SAPS fight the scourge against GBV+F, the Justice Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster had launched a 90-day GBV+F blitz, which began on May 1. 'This includes the revival of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on GBV+F, tasked with co-ordinating government interventions, resolving systemic bottlenecks, and ensuring measurable progress. The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) is leading the co-ordination of frontline safety and protection efforts.' Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! Related article: Rosebank College ready to take a stand against GBV At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- The Citizen
Crime stats: SA records decrease in murders but increase in rapes
Women remain disproportionately affected by rape, assault GBH, and murder, said Mchunu. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has welcomed the decrease in the number of murders committed between January 2025 and March 2025. However, more people were raped during the same period, the crime stats revealed. Mchunu provided the country's crime statistics for this period and although police efforts have yielded some results, with a recorded decrease in contact crimes, rape is still an issue in the country. During this period, 5 727 people were murdered, a decrease from 6 289 in the same period last year. About 477 murders were recorded in Western Cape's top 10 police stations, including Delft, Mfuleni, Nyanga, Philippi East and Kraaifontein. ALSO READ: Mchunu debunks white genocide, says the two farm owners killed were both black Murder causes Arguments, misunderstanding, road rage and provocation are still the top causative factors for murder (1 137), attempted murder (1985) and assault GBH (21 033). Retaliation, revenge, and punishment came second for 436 murders, 302 attempted murders and 3 019 assault GBH. ALSO READ: 110 women murdered in KwaZulu-Natal since October – Mchunu About 323 people were killed during robberies, while 835 cases of attempted murder were a result of robbery. Robberies also contributed 646 cases of assault GBH. Sexual offences recorded a slight increase to 13 452, from 13 446. Sexual offences include rape, of which 10 688 were recorded during this period, from 10 652. About 36 more people were raped during this period compared to the same period last year. According to the crime stats, 14 victims of rape were also killed, while 14 cases of attempted murder of rape victims were recorded. About 175 cases of assault GBH were recorded on rape victims. ALSO READ: SA's gender-based violence brigades confront femicide Police recorded 1 872 cases of sexual assault, 656 cases of attempted sexual offences and 236 contact sexual offences. 'While we acknowledge that GBV+F affects all genders, women remain disproportionately affected by rape, assault GBH, and murder. Our resolve to fight GBV+F is unwavering,' said Mchunu. Mchunu: Police will adapt to new crime trends Mchunu said the crime statistics are based on crimes that are reported. 'Let me be unequivocal: every crime that is reported in South Africa is recorded and accounted for by the South African Police Service (Saps) – whether it occurs in an urban area or in the most remote and rural areas,' said Mchunu. The minister said police have noted that there is more crime in terms of daily life and a feeling of vulnerability. As a result, law enforcement agencies will adjust their methods of fighting crime and adapt to the new trends and threats. ALSO READ: GBV, femicide receiving 'priority attention', says Gauteng police commissioner The crime stats also confirmed that various categories of crime declined. While the authorities have not yet reached their ultimate goals, the latest figures confirm that 'significant progress' is being made, according to Mchunu. 'We must, however, be clear-eyed about the challenges that remain. During this quarter, sexual offences, including rape and contact sexual offences, along with commercial crime, have shown increases. 'These are deeply concerning trends that demand renewed focus and urgent intervention,' he said. 'We are encouraged that all but one province recorded decreases in murder incidents. The Northern Cape, despite contributing only 2% to the national murder statistics, recorded an increase, which cannot be ignored and will be addressed with targeted actions. 'The four high-crime provinces – Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and the Eastern Cape – contributed the bulk of murder incidents nationally. Yet, when compared to the same period last year, the current statistics offer some encouragement. Among the top 30 police stations for murder, 13 stations registered lower counts, and two stations recorded no change. We will continue to intensify our efforts to reduce the overall murder rate.' READ NEXT: Justice department's poor record-keeping delays protection orders for GBV victims – AG
