‘Show us real rape stats’: True figures higher than reported – experts

Despite South Africa seeing a decrease in the sexual offences rate in the crime statistics for the last quarter, which runs from April to June, experts argue the true figures are much higher and that the reported decrease is not worth the celebration.

Police Minister Bheki Cele presented the latest crime statistics for SA, covering the first quarter of 2023-24, which revealed the sexual offences category, including rape, dropped by 2.8%.

“With 9 252 cases registered, down from 9 516 during the same period in 2022, sexual assault and contact sexual offences also decreased,” the stats revealed.

A gender-based violence activist, Mpho Thethani, said the decrease actually proved a disturbing trend in law enforcement.

“More people are not coming forward to report these cases.

“I’m not saying we would like to see an increase, but we need to understand that based on the history of convictions, the less convictions we have, the less people are likely to report because they don’t trust the system,” Thethani added.

According to Action Society, sexual offences were known to be under-reported.

“Still, 11 616 sexual offences were reported in the first quarter of this year, of which 9 252 were rapes – almost five every hour,” said Ian Cameron, director of community safety at Action Society.

“While Minister Cele was joking around about computer problems during the 50 minutes the crime statistics briefing lasted, three more people were murdered, and five women were raped.

“Little children are paying with their lives every day because Cele continues to work in a silo and isn’t developing an integrated approach, along with the justice system and correctional services, and the department of social development, to prioritise crime-fighting in South Africa.”

Cameron said it was time for Cele to go.

“The whole Saps (SA Police Service) management should be restructured and a task force should be formed to ensure an integrated strategy against crime. At Action Society, we work with the broken families of women and children who are assaulted and murdered every day.

“In just this past two weeks, we have attended more than 10 court cases, five of which included child murders.

“While we are doing all we can, we expect more from government. As a society, we will all be complicit if we do not act and demand change in Saps.”

In crimes against women, the statistics show murder cases went up by 4.7%.

This means 40 more women were murdered, up from 855. Attempted murders also saw a significant increase, with 238 more cases registered, from 1 179, a 20.2% increase.

Assault GBH (grievous bodily harm) cases clocked in at 12 872 from 11 734, a 9.7% increase. Major-General Thulare Sekhukhune said murders of children increased by 20.6%, with 293 children murdered, up from 243 during the same period last year.

This translates to 50 more children killed over a three-month period. “The crime figures show most sexual assaults are taking place between people familiar with each other,” Sekhukhune said.

“Sexual assaults are taking place in the homes of victims and perpetrators. It is on this score we call on society not to look away. Fighting crime starts in the home.”

Between January and March this year, fewer children were killed in South Africa compared to the same period last year.

“One child murder is one too many and the Saps must strive for zero tolerance,” Cele said.