SOUTH AFRICA - IN 7 DAYS OF LOCKDOWN POLICE HAVE RECEIVED MORE THAN 87 000 GENDER BASED VIOLENCE COMPLAINTS

 Police Minister Bheki Cele says police have received more than 87 000 gender-based violence complaints during the first week of the 21-day national lockdown.

The minister was speaking at a press conference in Pretoria, where the National Coronavirus Command Council was giving feedback after the government published amended regulations to the state of disaster.

Cele said tge police had also arrested more than 2 200 people around the country for contravening the regulations. He said more than 700 of the arrests came from the Western Cape.

The minister said the police had received 87 000 calls regarding gender-based violence complaints, so far.

“This is a very serious matter, the last number we received from the report of the NATJOINTS was 87 000 people have phoned reporting gender-based violence," he said.

He said one of the 87 000 cases including a case of rape, where a police officer was arrested for allegedly raping his wife.

“The police that raped the wife has been arrested. Not as a police (officer), but as a criminal,” said Cele.

Thne minister also said the police management had so far  received 38 complaints against SAPS members in the first week of the 21-day lockdown.
Cele said on Day 1 alone, there were 26 complaints and there have been 12 complaints in the days since.

“We are saying to the community that if there are police that break the law, we will arrest them,” he said.

“But we are also calling on the community to respect the police, respect the law,” he said.

Are you at risk of abuse or know someone who is? Report it to the GBV Command Centre: 0800 428 428 or *120*786#

** If you think you have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, please call the 24-hour hotline on 0800 029 999 or visit sacoronavirus.co.za

via - IOL