More than 50 suspects have been arrested for alleged gender-based violence (GBV), including rape, in Mpumalanga since the beginning of the month.
That was revealed by the Provincial Police Commissioner Senamakaleng Manamela in the wake of the murder of a pregnant woman whose body was discovered in the Crocodile River at Kanyamazane outside Mbombela.
26-year old Patricia Juliet Ndlovu’s body was discovered last Sunday.
Ndlovu was last seen a day before her body was discovered. She had a gunshot wound.
Manamela has expressed concern about the increasing number of gender-based violence incidents in the province.
” Since the beginning of this month, we have already arrested 53 suspects regarding the issue of rape and sexual offences. All these cases, some are in custody and some are out on bail and we are taking these matters very seriously and since we are in Women’s Month, we can’t allow that.”
Crime stats
On the 20th of August 2021, Minister of Police General Bheki Cele announced the national crime statistics for quarter one (April – June) of the 2021/22 financial year period.
The statistics revealed that contact crimes such as murder, attempted murder, sexual offences and all categories of assault registered a staggering 60,6% increase, compared to the corresponding period of the previous financial year.
Women need to be protected
In a recent incident University of Fort Hare student, Nosicelo Mtembeni, was brutally murdered – allegedly by her boyfriend.
Minister Nkoana-Mashabane says many women are struggling financially and depend on their partners, some of whom abuse them.
The Minister has called on men to protect women and help stop the scourge.
“Women must be safe at home, women must be safe at church, women must be safe everywhere else. Women must walk the night. Women must be in South Africa must be treated like all other people all other citizens with rights, ” says Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said.
Nkoana-Mashabane says society needs to offer more support to women in order to assist them when faced with violence.
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