‘Women only on rape cases’

MALE police officials handle sexual violence cases in a manner that is unfair towards victims, and should be disallowed from such cases, said Police Minister Bheki Cele.

Instead of assisting victims, Cele said male officials were playing a “second torture” game by interrogating even the attire of victims “as if they were fashion advisers”.

Cele addressed residents at Nqadu Great Place in Willowvale in the Eastern Cape on Friday. He visited the Xhosa kingdom to launch the Traditional Policing Concept, which aims to foster a policing partnership between traditional leaders and police.

Manned by police officials working with the community, the concept will be based at all six kingdoms of the Eastern Cape.

Cele appealed to all station commanders in the country to make sure cases of sexual violence were reported to female officials.

“It is painful seeing a woman raped by a man and she has to go report that case to man (in the police station). Female officials understand these cases better than their male counterparts who would ask things like why a woman was wearing a mini skirt. It’s not your mini skirt, so stop being so preoccupied with it,” Cele said.

National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole said by partnering with traditional leaders, police wanted to change the “Western approach” of policing to a traditional one. “We believe if communities in rural areas work closely with police… criminal activities will be dealt with.”

Eastern Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-general Liziwe Ntshinga said the concept would improve response time as rural folks would no longer have to call urban-based police stations to report criminal incidents.

“This concept came as a result of the memorandum of understanding between SAPS, Cogta and National House of Traditional Leaders. We are happy it is taking off, knowing traditional leaders have closer relations with the communities they lead.” FOR THE RECORD