Question NW3505 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

Reply:

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) prioritises all GBVF matters, more especially where the victims are women and children. The Sexual Offences and Community Affairs (SOCA) Unit within the NPA is tasked with, inter alia, ensuring increased access to justice for victims of GBV as well as optimal management of these matters in a victim-centric manner. This is done by providing pretrial services at its sixty-one (61) Thuthuzela Care Centres across the country. These one-stop centres provide essential psycho-social, medical and legal services, thus creating a safe space for the GBV victim and empowering them to transform into survivors. Whilst prosecutors in court are prioritising these matters, record is not kept of all crimes committed against women and children since not all crime is committed solely due to the gender or age of the victim.

During the financial year 2021/22 (April to August 2022) the following was not recorded in respect of crimes against children:

a) The total of successful convictions.

b) The total number of dismissals or acquittals. The reasons for the acquittals were not recorded and it cannot be confirmed that it was “as a result of poor or incomplete investigations by the South African Police Service (SAPS)”.

c) The information regarding cases withdrawn by the victim and /or victim’s family.

d) The number of cases awaiting trial.

e) The number of cases awaiting sentencing.

f) The NPA is unable to supply information pertaining to cases still under investigation in each province for:

1. Murder;
2. Attempted murder;
3. Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm; and
4. Common assault as it is not recorded by the NPA but the SAPS.