Stern warning issued to GBV perpetrators

Just hours after the district police commissioner issued a stern warning about gender-based violence (GBV), a woman was allegedly attacked and killed by her boyfriend in her Centurion home.

“It is alleged that the boyfriend attempted to gain entry into the woman’s home forcefully and [later, successfully] broke into the house,” Tshwane metro community and social development services MMC Thabisile Vilakazi said.

The alleged boyfriend reportedly overpowered the deceased and her siblings and set the house alight.

“We call on the SAPS to prioritise gender-based violence and do more in the protecting the vulnerable in society.”

Vilakazi further said police ought to do more to ensure the violent perpetrators faced the full might of the law and that incidents of this nature were attended to swiftly.

“No person should live in fear,” she said, adding that she had ensured the metro’s social development department dispatched social relief to the family and that social workers provided counselling to the family.

READ MORE: More still needs to be done to eradicate violence against women

Speaking to Rekord the very same day, district commissioner Major General Hilda Mohajane said perpetrators of gender-based crimes must watch out.

“We will track you until we arrest you… that is our priority,” she warned.

She called on victims to come forward and report violent acts.

“I want to appeal to victims of gender-based violence to know that as the SAPS, in Tshwane, gender-based violence is our priority and they should not be afraid to report such incidents,” she said.

Mohajane further said she wanted all communities to feel safe wherever they were and to continue assisting them with the fight against crime by reporting incidents they were aware of.

Meanwhile, Olivenhoutbosch police spokesperson Sergeant Pretty Mokadi said they recorded mostly assault cases when it came to domestic violence.

During his announcement of the quarter two crime statistics 2020/2021, recorded from July to September 2020, police minister Bheki Cele said they had recorded a decrease in the number of sexual offences which had been reported.

“This means a 16,8% dip in crimes such sexual assault was recorded while there was an 18,8% decrease in the number of rape cases,” he said, adding that July, August and September had been dangerous months for thousands of women in the country.

Cele said 8 922 cases of rape were recorded during the period.

“A sample of 5 168 rape dockets revealed that 3 578 people were raped in their homes or at the home of their perpetrators,” he said.

Majority of those who were raped were reportedly women.

“Over a thousand people were raped in public spaces such as parks, beaches, parking areas or open fields,” Cele said.

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