ANC, ANCWL speak out against “rape scourge”

The African National Congress (ANC) and the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) in the Free State have jointly warned women in the province to be vigilant against rapists.

The call by the two organisations follows a spate of rape incidents in several towns across the province.

ANC spokesperson, Oupa Khoabane, said this week that the ruling party in the province is worried about escalating incidents of rape.

“We are saddened by the increasing cases of rape in the province however, we are confident that our criminal justice system will ensure that the suspects are apprehended and successfully prosecuted so that they can be removed from society. We believe that if someone assaults women and children he should not be allowed to remain in the community.”

Khoabane further warned women not to go out alone at night as this makes them vulnerable to rapists.

“We would like to call on all women, young and old, not to go alone in the bush or get drunk at night, because that’s how they get raped and be assaulted easily. We say they should take care of themselves and avoid being the victims. We are not suggesting there is anything wrong with women enjoying themselves but they must be cautious.”

Three weeks ago ANCWL members together with the communities of Bethulie, Dewetsdorp, QwaQwa and Heilbron marched to their respective town’s courts, to condemn the suspects who appeared before the courts for rape. They called for harsh sentences to be served to suspects who are found guilty of this heinous crime.

The ANCWL has called on government to review the current minimum sentence of the rapists, citing it would decrease the number sexual assaults in the country.

The chairperson of the ANCWL in Fezile Dabi region, Thandiwe Soetsang, said the league will not tolerate the on-going abuse and brutal killing of the women in the Free State.

Soetsang added that the league wanted harsh sentences be meted out to the nine suspects accused of raping a woman in Heilbron a month ago.

“We have heard enough about rape cases to our children, sisters and our mothers by young people who don’t look to change their lives but looking for nothing but terrorising us. If justice is served, they should stay in jail for the rest if their lives.”

According to Soetsang, women in Heilbron live in fear following the horrific rape incident in the small town.

“Our members have told us that they live in fear even around people they know, we cannot live like this in our country. We want the court to teach culprits a lesson. We cannot live uncomfortable life where we’ll be asking ourselves who is next. Our children have turned to be monsters and we need our government to put them where they belong if we want to live peacefully,” said Soetsang.

Two men have appeared before Bethulie magistrate court; nine others in the Heilbron magistrate’s court, while two more suspects have appeared in the QwaQwa magistrate’s court on rape charges.
Bandile Nkosi told The Weekly that sexual assaults leave pain that does not get healed.

“It leaves a curse and it leaves hatred. To many women it leaves them with HIV. I call on government to review the current minimum sentence.”
Nnuku Senti believes women will continue to be assaulted by men, because prisons are not strict enough.

“A rapist goes there (to prison) and returns as advocate. If they were treated like rapists they would rot in there.”

The rising rate of rape incidents has also compelled President Jacob Zuma to raise serious concerns about the sexual assault of women in the country. He recently revealed in parliament that there will be special courts that are specifically designed to deal with sexual assaults cases.

Zuma also launched a campaign against rape in schools in Mitchelle’s Plein, Cape Town, two weeks ago.