The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) expressed their outrage over the alarming increase in statutory rape cases across South Africa.
The party highlighted the troubling statistic that more than 2,700 girls aged between 10 and 14 gave birth at public healthcare facilities during the 2023/24 financial year.
EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys said, “The highest numbers are in KwaZulu-Natal with 610 cases, followed by Gauteng with 430, the Eastern Cape with 395, and Limpopo with 375. This is a clear indication of a society plagued by predators who exploit children, many of whom are forced into these dire situations by the crippling effects of poverty."
In the same period, nearly 120,000 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 gave birth in the same public healthcare facilities. KwaZulu-Natal once again led other provinces with 30,478 pregnancies, followed by Gauteng with 19,406, Limpopo with 16,262 and the Eastern Cape with 15,827.
"The statistics are a damning indictment of the ANC government's failure to protect the most vulnerable in our society. Parents or carers of these children do not lay criminal charges of statutory rape often because of financial compensation from the child rapists. This leaves girl children unprotected by their family and with no agency to protect themselves," Mathys said.
The EFF calls on the government to utilise its power to investigate and prosecute statutory rape cases. The statement emphasises the role of four key government departments—Basic Education, Social Development, Health, and the South African Police Service (SAPS)—in addressing this issue.
"Legislation empowers government departments to act on these child rapists regardless of whether their victims lay charges or not. The government is responsible for violating children's rights to justice and protection. This display of hatred for children by the government fuels child rapists to continue with impunity," Mathys added.
The EFF also demanded the establishment of specialised courts to handle these cases with urgency and severity and called for an increased number of social workers in schools and clinics to create sanctuaries for young girls and women.
"The EFF will, through its GBV desk, lay charges against all government departments that have participated in preparing official statistics reports on child pregnancy, yet failed to lay charges of statutory rape. It will not be on our watch that the government will report on the number of statutory rape cases without ensuring justice for the child victims," Mathys said.
The statement concludes with a resolute commitment from the EFF to hold the government accountable and to ensure the protection and justice for all affected children.
IOL