Where are our missing women and children in Gauteng?
I am shocked to learn that out of 597 women reported missing between January and October 2017 only 151 were found. Where are the other 446 women?
These shocking figures were revealed to me in a written reply to my questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature by the MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane.
They paint an horrific picture of life for women in Gauteng.
According to the MEC the following are statistics for women reported missing in 2017:
|
Year |
Women Reported Missing |
Women Found |
|
2017 |
597 |
151 |
The number of children reported missing for the past year (1 May 2017 to 30 April 2018) was 472, of these reported cases 436 children were found alive, while 4 were found dead and 32 have not been found at all.
This indicates that the lives of women and children are in danger on a daily basis. There is a dire need to ensure the safety of these most vulnerable members of society.
These figures also indicate that the SAPS is not doing enough to find the missing women.
The SAPS should be putting together specialised task teams that ensure that investigations are effective and expedited and that cases are shepherded through the courts to ensure convictions.
Too often, vital investigative steps are not followed and accessing information through court applications takes too long.
Areas that are identified as hot spots for missing women and children should be targeted for specialist interventions.In many cases people known to the family, or family members themselves, are implicated in missing persons cases. Furthermore, there is often a history of domestic violence.
Currently tracking of domestic violence cases and sexual assault is done via a manual register in police stations. An electronic system to track perpetrators and victims across police station boundaries is necessary and will assist in identifying likely suspects in the cases of missing women and children.
It is the responsibility of the SAPS to ensure the safety of all our people as well as the implementation of effective crime prevention strategies.
Our most vulnerable members of society have now lost confidence in the ability of the police to find missing persons. Our people deserve to be kept safe in their homes and public spaces.
The people of Gauteng need a government that keeps women and children safe. Only a DA-led government can deliver this kind of change.
Statement issued by Kate Lorimer MPL, DA Shadow MEC for Community Safety, 1 July 2018
