Prosecutions of perpetrators of crime on children and women in Alex will be expedited after improvements in the forensic work of the provincial health department.
This was said by the MEC for Health, Qedani Mahlangu, when officially opening the Alexandra Clinical Forensic Medicines Clinic. The clinic is based at the Alex police cluster headquarters in Wynberg, which is adjacent to the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court.
The opening coincided with the international campaign on 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, in a country said to have one of the highest incidents of these crimes globally. The clinic has relocated from the Alex Clinic to more spacious facilities, where it is expected to provide improved services and increase its staff members.
“The move will enable us to provide 24-hour services unlike before, and to strengthen our capacity to examine victims and perpetrators of domestic violence, assaults, stabbing, sexual abuse, rape and gang rape – even of boys – child abuse, murder, suspected drunk drivers, and to provide medication to protect victims against HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancies,” said staff member Nomawethu Douglas.
She added that the work at the clinic would include trauma counselling, referrals, treating and supporting victims for a period of six months, and the examination results would expedite the prosecution of suspected criminals.
The victims, she said, were mostly in the age group of two to eight, youths and some adults. “On weekends, we attend to about 10 cases and refer 20 to the Hillbrow Clinic which will now revert to us. We expect these numbers to increase after campaigns will have alerted the public about the opening [of the clinic], and also, children abused within their families will have been encouraged to report their abuse.”
Douglas added that the festive season would be a big test for the clinic when young people would engage in binge drinking and experiment with drugs, leaving them exposed to potential abuse.
She thanked NPOs Adapt and Kidz Clinic for their referral partnership, the Department of Social Development for the inter-ministerial collaboration, the Jewish Women’s Association and the Rosebank Church for donating clothing, comfort packs, soap, food and décor to make the clinic child-friendly.
Elizabeth Mokwena of Kidz Clinic said the clinic’s proximity to residents would expedite service provision.
