With the latest crime stats showing a surge in the number of women and children killed during the first quarter of the current financial year, Police Deputy Minister Polly Boshielo said women law-enforcement officers must lead the fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).
Speaking during a multidisciplinary law-enforcement parade over the weekend, held to mark the end of Women’s Month, Boshielo lauded officers for ensuring 2300 GBVF perpetrators were convicted in the last financial year.
During this period, 321 of these perpetrators were sentenced to life in prison while 296 were sentenced to 20 years’ and more imprisonment.
Boshielo also indicated that it is a step in the right direction that 19 360 GBVF perpetrators were arrested in the last financial year between April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.
She also utilised the platform to urge women to ensure no victim of crime, especially GBVF, is turned away and discouraged from opening cases against their lovers.
She emphasised that women within the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster are obliged to immediately act when they become aware of abuse in any form such as economic, sexual, and physical abuse.
In her keynote address, Boshielo said the event was a reminder of how far women have come. “For the mere fact that women are at the helm of top structures in government, tells us that women are capable and fit for purpose to lead and you are therefore expected to lead by example.”
Boshielo added that the empowerment of women should be one of government’s biggest achievements whenever they talk about the gains that have been achieved over the past three decades.
She was joined by the Deputy Minister for Correctional Services Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, the Deputy National Commissioner for Policing Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili, the Acting Deputy National Commissioner for Support Services Lieutenant-General Lineo Nkhuoa, the Deputy Director-General for the Department of Correctional Services Chief Deputy Commissioner Cynthia Ramulifho, the Chief of Tshwane Metro Police Commissioner Yolanda Faro, and various other senior management.
The Women in Law Enforcement Parade was composed of women from the SAPS, Department of Correctional Services, Traffic, Metro Police departments and other women within the JCPS cluster.
Boshielo urged women in law enforcement to remain committed and dedicated in building a safer and crime free South Africa for all.
The GOOD Party said the latest quarterly crime statistics once again painted a horrific picture of what it’s like to be a woman in this country.
The data from the first quarter of 2024/25, revealed that 966 women were murdered over the three-month period (up 7.9%), while there were 1 644 attempted murders (16% increase) of women and 13 757 women assaulted with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (6.9% increase).
There were also 314 children murdered (7.2% increase), and 242 attempted murders recorded (20% increase).
Reported rape cases saw an increase of 0.6% to 9 309 cases in just three months.
These gruesome figures form part of the overall 2.6% increase in contact crimes in South Africa. Police recorded 6 198 murders across the country which translated to an average of almost 69 per day.
“As GOOD, we maintain that a number of abnormal conditions in South African society contribute to the excessive crime rate, including poverty and the relatively low percentage of criminals who are convicted for their crimes,” said Brett Herron, GOOD: secretary-general.
He said while police have a role to play in crime prevention, it’s the under-development of people and communities that is the biggest culprit.
“Government departments, from human settlements to education, to social development, must do more to contribute to creating communities conducive to human development, the development of youth in particular.
“More funding must go to neighbourhood watches and police forums to operate as the eyes and ears of the police, and less to VIP security. We are failing our women and children ‒ when will we say, enough is enough, and get our priorities straight?” said Herron.
The Star