Diepsloot ranked as one to the top 30 gender-based violence hotspots in the country
DIEPSLOOT – Minister of Police Bheki Cele said that all police stations in the hotspots are expected to have a desk dedicated to gender-based violence.
Minister of Police Bheki Cele announced during a media briefing on 22 September that Dieplsoot is among the top 30 gender-based violence hotspots in the country.
Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane announced a six-minister Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) that will focus on the fight against gender-based violence and femicide in August.
Cele said, “As a member of this IMC, I have addressed this topic several times highlighting the work we are doing as the SAPS to combat this scourge. I have also spoken at length of measures we as the SAPS are putting in place to professionalise the service rendered to victims of GBV.”
Cele said that they have compiled a list of the top 30 hotspots which look at the number of cases relating to rape, human trafficking for sexual offences and kidnapping for sexual offences. He added that figures of reported domestic violence-related cases of murder, rape, attempted murder and assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm were also considered when compiling the list.
Other areas in Johannesburg which are included in the list are Tembisa, Honeydew and Alexandra. He said, “As part of the SAPS’s integrated sexual offences and GBV action plan, there are pro-active measures with short-, medium- to long-term timeframes… As a prevention measure, the SAPS will also continue to have a sustained public awareness and community-based campaigns at the identified areas on GBV.”
He said that all police stations in those identified areas are expected to have a permanent desk dedicated to GBV. “This will go a long way in ensuring victims of gender crimes are responded to by trained officers in a professional way.”
He concluded, “While we know police alone will not rid the country of this evil, we as the SAPS will continue to strengthen our response to the GBV, the approach must promote accountability and ensure that all victims and survivors of GBV have access to justice.”
