The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) welcomes the 15-year sentence handed to Sipho Ndlovu also known as Bricks for raping his niece. The Commission is of the view that the sentence is a clear indication that our justice system wants to curb gender based violence (GBV) in our society. The Commission condemns any kind of violence regardless of the gender of the person who commits it.
Although the Commission welcomes the decision, we are concerned with the continual delays in cases of GBV. It is therefore necessary for our justice system to address those systemic issues that cause cases of this nature to be delayed. The Commission’s court monitoring processes elsewhere in the country have convinced us that the speedy conclusion of GBV cases is important. These delays might affect those that are scheduled to testify and also prevent potential witnesses from coming forward.
The Commission calls upon the police to ensure that there is proper investigation. That the evidence to be led is credible and enough to ensure prosecution of the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. The Commission believes this will help in speedy resolution of gender based violence cases which at best take too long to prosecute due to insufficient evidence.
We once again call on South Africans to join hands as part of the 365 Days of Activism to continue raising awareness and advocating against the scourge of gender based violence. We hope that people will start learning alternative ways of resolving conflicts without resorting to violence. People can use our Toll- Free Number 0800 007 709 to report cases of gender based violence.
Enquiries:
Javu Baloyi
Cell: 083 579 3306
