The local ANC Women’s League has taken it upon itself to ensure police are taken to task over their alleged poor handling of rape and abuse cases.
The local ANC Women’s League has taken it upon itself to ensure police are taken to task over their alleged poor handling of rape and abuse cases.
This comes after a number of reported incidents including public outrage over the recent brutal murder of a young Hlalani woman.
Over a hundred residents led by the Makana ANC Women’s League sub-region marched to the office of the Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions on Wednesday to hand over a petition demanding better treatment for rape and abuse victims.
The group gave the office 14 days to respond to their demands, adding that failure to do so would result in repeated protest action outside the courts until their demands are addressed.
The energetic protesters made it clear that they were determined to ensure that victims of crime get better treatment when they report sensitive cases such as rape and abuse to the police.
The police have been criticised for failing to collect vital information after the brutal attack on Hlalani resident Thandiswa Qubuda in January.
The state dropped the rape charges against two car guards who were arrested in connection with her murder due to lack of evidence.
The two Victoria Road residents, aged 19 and 20, were subsequently released from custody on warning. They initially faced attempted murder charges, however, after Qubuda’s death on Thursday last week the charges against them were changed to murder.
Addressing the crowd during Wednesday’s protest sub-regional Women’s League convenor Nosipho Kulati demand that women who report sensitive cases be given their privacy and she called for police to do more when investigating rape cases.
The incident reportedly happened in an open area in Fingo Village, but nobody managed to rescue Qubuda from her attackers.
The Women’s League called on the police to be more visible in the township and for ambulances to respond quicker to calls from the public.
In the petition protesters also demanded an urgent meeting with representatives of the National Prosecuting Authority, the justice department and police to discuss "the flaws in the system and to rectify them so as to prosecute the perpetrators of these violent crimes against women and children".
They also claim that taverns contribute a great deal to rape in the township and urged the Community Policing Forum to work with the police and ensure that taverns close at midnight.
Kulati said many women are abused and raped but these cases go unnoticed by the courts due to insufficient information sometimes caused by fear, a lack of understanding of procedures to follow and not being well aware of victims’ rights.
They demanded that rape and murder suspects must not under any circumstances be granted bail.
Sub-regional convener of the Sarah Baartman district Nomhle Gaga thanked those who came in large numbers to support the cause and urged everyone in attendance to attend Qubuda’s memorial service and to get involved in fighting rape and abuse.
Accepting the petition, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Johan Bezuidenhout said they are the public’s lawyers and he had come to listen to their complaints.
He said the ill-treatment of people cannot be tolerated at police stations and hospitals, adding that these public service institutions should work together when dealing with rape cases.
"We will do anything for you as long as it is within the law," Bezuidenhout said.
