South Africa's Gender-Based Violence Crisis: Unsolved Cases and Growing Concerns
11 Aug 2024
As South Africa continues to observe Women’s Month, the recent murder of a woman at a Durban mall by her ex-boyfriend has highlighted the country’s ongoing battle with gender-based violence. Despite the National Strategic Plan launched in 2020 to tackle this issue, violence against women continues to rise. Recent crime statistics from the second quarter of 2023/2024 reveal troubling numbers: 10,516 rapes, 1,514 attempted murders, and 14,401 assaults on women were reported from July to September. Sadly, 881 women were murdered during this period.
The situation is worsened by the high number of unresolved murder cases in the country. Since 2018, nearly 80,000 murder cases, two-thirds of all reported cases, have been closed without resolution. This issue extends to other crimes, with 40,089 attempted murders, 141,026 assaults, and 61,740 rapes also left unresolved. The Democratic Alliance (DA) reports that around 974 rape and sexual assault cases are closed each month without resolution, meaning about 32 victims lose the chance for justice every day. Worsening this crisis is the severe shortage of detectives, over 8,400 have left the South African Police Service (SAPS) since 2016, with some officers handling up to 300 cases at once.
In response, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has requested R71.3 billion in additional funding over three years to address these staffing shortages and reduce crime. However, immediate improvements in case management and prioritising gender-based violence cases are crucial.
These rising incidents and all the unsolved cases bring to focus the importance of personal safety measures, through investing in security solutions to fill the gaps left by law enforcement and provide an extra layer of protection. (Read our article on Essential Safety Tips here)
Sources: Commission for Gender Equality, AFRO Barometer, City Press, Business Live