EFF condemns the closure of over 5 million dockets
13 August 2024
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are outraged by the shocking revelations that more than five million dockets have been closed without resolution since 2018, with 61, 740 of these being rape cases. This appalling statistic is a glaring indictment of the systemic failures within the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the broader criminal justice system.
Most disturbing is the revelation that 68.75% of dockets stolen from SAPS stations were open cases of rape and sexual assault, all of them in Limpopo, further highlighting the profound ineffectiveness and corruption entrenched in our law enforcement agencies.
This is an outright betrayal of justice. Rape victims and survivors in South Africa are living in terror, afraid to report the violence they endure because they know the system is rigged against them. They already fear being dismissed, humiliated, or even targeted by the very authorities meant to protect them, as so often happens when they report to the police. This systemic failure, where victims voices are silenced, serves only to embolden perpetrators and perpetuate the cycle of violence.
By closing these rape cases, the government has unleashed the 61,740 potential rapists into our communities, creating an environment for them to become serial predators. This is not just negligence; it is the deliberate endangerment of lives. These rapists, unchecked and unpunished, roam our streets with the knowledge that they will not pay for their horrendous crimes.
This lack of resolution in investigating rape cases, and the police's deliberate disappearance of cases, is not merely a reflection of poor policing but is emblematic of the violent patriarchal culture that continues to plague our society. Men, including those within the police force, cover for each other, protect perpetrators, and in many instances, are the perpetrators. The protection and harbouring of rapists by their families, religious institutions, political parties, the government, and employers remains alarming.
During the budget votes for the Ministry of Police, we highlighted that crime statistics have long shown us where crime hotpsots are and the nature of how these crimes occur, it is simply a matter of our intelligence systems strategising adequately and applying resources accordingly.
In our debate, we strongly informed the Minister of Police that the current budget allocation for crime prevention is grossly inadequate, arguing that crime prevention must be prioritised as a central program within the department. By doing so, we would not only reduce crime rates but by default decrease the number of cases requiring investigation and prosecution.
It is only the EFF who will robustly provide oversight and hold the DA-ANC government accountable for enabling a policing and justice system that protects criminals.
Issued by Leigh-Ann Mathys, National Spokesperson, EFF, 13 August 2024
