Children victims in 42% of all rape cases recorded

Children were victims of more than 40% of all rape cases recorded in the past three financial years.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said a parliamentary reply from the minister of police also revealed that only 21% of child rape cases resulted in successful convictions.

The DA asked the police minister in August last year to disclose the number of child murders and chid rapes which took place in the 2014/15‚ 2015/16 and 2016/17 financial years.

The party also asked how many investigations into these cases led to successful conviction for child murder and child rape.

A reply received last week showed there were 2 689 child murders during this period and only 948 successful convictions.

The reply also showed there were 50 926 child rape cases during that period and only 10 653 convictions.

The DA also asked what weapons were used for the children’s murders.

The police replied that a variety of weapons were used‚ with knives and guns featuring prominently in the commission of the murders.

“These statistics are disturbing at the very least and likely to worsen given the numerous crises within the South African Police Service leadership‚” Zakhele Mbhele‚ DA shadow minister of police, said.

He said the horrific brutality with which these children were murdered was also frightening.

“Weapons used include firearms‚ axes‚ spades‚ pangas‚ hammers‚ belts and poison – many of these children were practically butchered to death‚” Mbhele said.

Mbhele said it was clear that without political will‚ the police would continue to fail in its mandate to ensure the reduction of the country’s unacceptably high levels of crime levels‚ especially against children.

- TimesLIVE