Good evening  

When I was called and requested to come and engage young girls and women, I didn’t hesitate, I moved my meetings around so that I can be with you this evening to talk about a very important matter that is close to my heart - Gender Based Violence and Femicide.

Young girls, the pain and suffering that has been caused by the scourge of Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) in our country makes these kinds of dialogues difficult but necessary.

As a young woman or a girl child in this country, you can be directly affected by GBV and femicide regardless of your socioeconomic status in society or the position you hold.

So, it doesn’t matter if you are rich, wealthy, black, white, coloured or Indian, GBVF affects everyone in society and that’s why it’s important that as the head of police in this country and a Father myself to two young women, it is important that I come and personally address you.

Young women, our country is facing a crisis, young girls and women are being targeted by men on a daily basis.

You will remember the case of 30-year-old Olorato Mongale whose body was found dumped on the side of the road two weeks ago in Johannesburg. She had met these two young looking gentlemen at a mall and they exchanged numbers. A week later, they went out on a date, and two hours later she was found dead.

Her case made national headlines, the main suspect who called himself John was shot and killed by police in Durban. We are still looking for his other friend, Bongani Mthimkhulu and we are confident that we will find him.

From Oloratos murder, many more young women came to report that the same two men also kidnapped and robbed them of their money and cellphones in different provinces. We are now having 25 cases of kidnapping and robbing involving young women. 

Just earlier this week, the body of 14-year-old Lukhona Fose was found in Roodepoort. She was found murdered and what makes this case even more sad is that her private part was removed. Police are still searching for her killers, and we are hoping that soon we will find them and arrest them.

Three weeks ago, police also rescued a 28-year-old woman who met a man on Facebook. The 24-year-old man who is now in police cells, used a fake Facebook profile with someone’s pictures and called himself Jeff Rals. He would go around inviting girls on Facebook and when they agree to meet him, he would kidnap and rape them. Be careful when using Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and dating sites such as Tinder and Grinder. 

These are just some of the cases that we are as the South African Police Service are investigating on a daily basis.

In the police, we have different units and one of the units that has been established is the Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Investigations (FCS) unit. 

This unit is responsible to investigate many types of GBVF cases and they include the following:

Physical abuse: This involves physical harm, such as hitting, kicking, punching you with fists, burning, or other forms of physical abuse.

Economic abuse: This involves controlling someone's money, like your boyfriend taking your money or your bankcard.

Sexual abuse: sexual abuse includes, rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment (when a person touches you in the wrong way), and sexual exploitation (when a person uses you for his sexual desires or sells you for sex). This also involves intentionally and deliberately infecting someone with HIV. If someone is not honest about their HIV status and they infect you, that is also a sign of GBVF

Psychological abuse: This includes emotional abuse (telling you are nothing, you are useless and that no one else will love you), intimidation, when someone is controlling you and telling you what to do and what not to do, and other forms of psychological harm.

My girls, now you understand what GBVF is. So, you will agree with me that you cannot KEEP QUIET if this is happening to you or to your mother, sister, cousin or aunty. You must SPEAK OUT because a lot of people die because of GBVF.

You must report GBVF to your nearest police station and when you get there, you will get assisted at a GBVF desk. Each police station has a GBVF desk where your complaint will be registered, and you will then be assigned a detective from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Investigations (FCS) unit.

I’m also going to use this opportunity to request you to stay away from SUGAR DADDIES, you must stay in school and get your matric and come and join the police. Do you know that when you  train to be a police officer we give you pocket money of R4500 every month. So please, don’t rush for things and you end up getting pregnant at a young age and fall sick.

SAY NO TO SUGAR DADDIES WHO MOSTLY HAVE

MULTIPLE GIRLDRIENDS AT A TIME - THIS QUIET OFTEN CAN LEAD TO HIV/AIDS.

Young girls in the SAPS we have a guideline that we follow when we handle GBVF cases:

POINT 1

All victims should be treated with respect, dignity and interviewed by trained police officials in a victim sensitive manner at every police station.

POINT 2

Victims will be assisted at the Victim Friendly Room (VFR) or an alternative room where the statement will be taken in a private room at the Police Station

POINT 3

Victims will be referred/taken for medical examination by the healthcare professional to obtain medical evidence and complete a medical report which is called a J88 report.

POINT 4

The investigation will be conducted by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Investigation Unit (FCS) or a detective with relevant training

POINT 5

The families and victims of sexual offences, femicide will be referred to the victim support services that are available for psychological counselling and help.

POINT 6

Victims will be proactively provided with feedback on their cases on a continuous basis.

So in short, that is the service that you will receive from us.

In 12 months, we have arrested more than 19000 suspects who killed, assaulted and raped women and young girls in this country. We have also sent 1700 of them to prison, some got life in prison and some 20 - 25 years in prison.

I urge you to keep safe, remember to speak out against violence in the homes so we can save your mothers and sisters.

Remember when you use social media like Facebook, Instagram and your dating sites, be careful of who you go and meet. Always tell someone when you go and meet a stranger. Most importantly don’t agree to meet a stranger at his house, at a bush or anywhere you are not comfortable.

Stay safe and stay in school!

I THANK YOU