Staff Reporter
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday issued a proclamation on the commencement of a legislation which would see the establishment of dedicated Sexual Offences Courts in South Africa.
The move is set to bring relief and justice to survivors of gender-based violence in South Africa.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, said in that ‘the new legislation provides these courts to have certain facilities and measures in place to render services that will better protect complainants, enhance the quality of prosecutions and evidence to be given in sexual offence cases, minimise secondary trauma for complainants.’
“These focused services are intended to make it easier for complainants to report offences and to give evidence in trials, as a means of deterring potential offenders from breaking the law,” said Diko in a statement.
“The commencement of the legislation is a significant development in the context of the government’s implementation – in partnership with civil society – of the Emergency Action Plan on GBVF, and the fulfilment of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF.”
The first sexual offences court was established in Wynberg, Cape Town, in 1993.
The Wynberg court was different to other regional courts and had a dedicated social worker to provide counselling and care to victims of rape and sexual abuse.
Court functions were also moved around to prevent the victim from coming into contact with the accused in the court building.
However, these courts were halted in 2005 by former justice minister Bridgette Mabandla due to budgetary constraints and lack of staff with specialized training.
Last year, justice minister, Ronald Lamola, told Parliament that 16 more sexual offences courts would be built in the current financial year.
South Africa has one of the highest femicide rates globally.
During the 2017/2018 financial year, 2,930 women and 985 children were murdered; more than 15% of the total number of people murdered in that time.
Lamola said it was pivotal to protect the rights of women, children and the LGBTI+ community.
- INSIDE POLITICS