More sexual offences courts to be set up
At least 22 Sexual Offences Courts will open up this year, one of which was established in Vosloorus.
This is according to Justice minister, Jeff Radebe, who says that this will ensure that crimes relating to sexual offences will be addressed by specialised courts and people with specialised skills.
During this announcement he added that a further 35 courts would be set up during the next three years.
The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) has welcomed this announcement.
In March 2013, following the rape of Anene Booysen, Fedusa and its workers demanded the reintroduction of specialised sexual offences units nationwide as part of an urgent national strategy to halt rape and the violation of women in South Africa.
“Violence against women is one of the major human rights violations that we are discussing during and beyond our Women’s Months agenda.
“The commitment to re-introducing the 22 Sexual Offences Courts this year, and the further 35 in the following three years are substantial, which we undoubtedly support.
“We do hope, however, that there is sufficient budgetary allocation, and political will to ensure that these courts are indeed established, adequately staffed, and sustainable enough to make a significant impact to the levels of violence against women, and especially to the percentage of convictions made in such cases,” says Gretchen Humphries, Fedusa deputy general secretary for operations.
Currently there are only nine operational sexual offences courts, one of which includes the newly established sexual offences court in Vosloorus.
