Msholozi Community: No bail for GBV perpetrators will be better
The provincial commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lt Gen Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has noted with concern the increasing number of gender-based violence incidents.
Some community members believe that gender-based violence (GBV) perpetrators should be denied bail. This came to light during a GBV initiative hosted by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Friday May 13.
“Seeing the person who caused you pain out in public the next day after being arrested is hurtful, it can make you feel as if there is no justice in South Africa. Is there a possibility to reduce bail applications in order to see fewer GBV perpetrators in the community?” Rodney Ratau, a local, asked during the initiative.
Some community members who attended the event agreed with Ratau’s statement. They believe that the NPA can help reduce the number of successful bail applications.
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The NPA Mpumalanga director of public of prosecuting, Adv Nkebe Kanyane, told the crowd that South African law allows suspects to have a right to bail after their arrest.
“There are conditions in which a suspect can be denied bail, such as the gravity of the charge and the legal law also allows presumption of innocence before proven guilty.”
The NPA’s aim for the initiative was to inform and educate the Msholozi community regarding the importance of reporting GBV incidents, which organisations are in place to help victims and how the NPA prosecutes perpetrators Kanyane urged the public to report these crimes to the police so that the justice can take its course.
“Most perpetrators of GBV live in the same community as the victims. We rely on the community to report these cases. Report as soon as you can and see the cases through, do not withdraw them,” she said.
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The White River station commander, Lt Col Mapitso Makgatho, echoed Kanyane’s words.
“The people of Msholozi have a tendency of opening cases and withdrawing them. This makes it look as if we do not do our job as the police.”
He advised individuals who do feel safe in a relationship or a situation to obtain a protection order against the perpetrator. “You can sign a protection order that will limit the perpetrator’s access to you and it will protect you. It does not expire. You sign it at the police station and the police will serve the perpetrator. A protection order also helps when prosecuting a perpetrator,” he said.
Another community member, Norma Calipe, said they appreciate this initiative. “It was very informative and I got to know which organisations I can advise victims to seek help from,” Calipe said.
