Police inaction leaves women with disabilities without justice

Police are facing mounting accusations of reluctance to investigate rape cases, with victims and families alleging that reported incidents remain unresolved and suspects unpunished. Residents of Tzaneen, Limpopo, alleged several rape and attempted rape incidents that were reported last year remain unresolved and suspects were not arrested. A woman, whose disabled sister from Dan village in Tzaneen was allegedly raped by two men last year, said her family opened a case but police did not act.

“My 23-year-old sister told police who raped her but there have been no arrests,” she said. “We found out about this when questioning her about her pregnancy. She was refusing to talk to us.

But after reporting the matter to the police, she told them she was sleeping with two men. “She even mentioned their names, but no investigation was conducted.” In another case, it is alleged that around last August, at GaSekororo village, a 36-yearold man allegedly kidnapped a 19-year-old mentally challenged woman and took her to the bushes, intending to rape her. “We opened a case but the suspect has not yet been arrested and we have not been updated about the case,” said her relative, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim.

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A civil society group, Elizabeth Home Foundation (EHF), has written a letter to the office of the Limpopo police commissioner complaining about the police’s failure to act. “Police failure to act must be investigated because most of the rape incidents are reported, but no arrests are made,” said EHF founder Elizabeth Shingange. “Many people have approached us asking for advice regarding their pending cases. We demand that this police inaction must be investigated.”

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