By Levy Masiteng
The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Thursday launched a national investigation into rising cases of statutory rape and child pregnancies, saying provincial governments must be held accountable for tackling the issue.
The move followed DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille’s attendance at a bail hearing in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court for a 53-year-old deputy principal accused of repeatedly raping an eight-year-old girl at his primary school.
The party announced in October last year that according to a response to a parliamentary question, Over 106 000 rape cases and 22,000 sexual assault cases involving children were reported over the last six financial years.
Zille said the campaign would examine whether provincial departments were meeting their obligations under the Children’s Act, which seeks to ensure that perpetrators of rape and statutory rape face prosecution.
Zille urged community members to report suspected abuse.
“The DA will not allow the rape of children to become normalised in South Africa,” she said. “We urge all people who suspect incidents of abuse to report the matter as they are required to do, to the relevant authorities.”
Zille said some community members had raised concerns that perpetrators often pay victims to remain silent. “We are aware that perpetrators often buy the silence of victims and their families to cover up their crimes. Those who succumb to such bribery and extortion are equally guilty of a crime,” she said.
The DA said it would push for psycho-social support for victims. “The DA will seek to ensure that the victims of such abuse get the psycho-social support which they need to heal to the greatest extent possible,” Zille added.
“The alleged perpetrator has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty,” she said, “but the fact that suspects in child rape cases make it into court is an important step in the accountability chain.”
INSIDE POLITICS