SA cops’ rape shock as Ipid releases statistics

Gauteng saw a 35% increase, incidents reported in Limpopo doubled, and Mpumalanga recorded a 200% rise, jumping from two to six cases in a single year.

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By contrast, KwaZulu-Natal recorded a 62% decrease, the Northern Cape fell by 43%, and the Western Cape by 21%.

Fifty-one incidents (54%) involved officers on duty, while 44 cases (46%) occurred off duty.

On incidents of rape in police custody, Jentile was unequivocal. “Abuse in police custody is among the gravest human rights violations a democratic state can commit. In custody, victims are completely powerless and entirely under state control. Any abuse in such a space is not only criminal; it is an indictment of the state itself. It represents a total breakdown of duty, ethics and humanity.”