A Pietermaritzburg-based non-profit organization, Lifeline Pietermaritzburg, has raised concerns that South Africa’s rape statistics do not fully capture the scale of the crisis, as many cases remain unreported. According to Sinikiwe Biyela, Director of Lifeline and the Rape Crisis Centre, numerous survivors, especially children, delay reporting incidents—sometimes for years.
“There are many rape survivors who do not report these incidents. In cases involving children, reports are often made a year or two after the assault,” Biyela said. “We believe the problem is much larger than what has been presented by the Minister of Police.”
Biyela's comments follow the alleged rape of a seven-year-old girl at a school in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, which has sparked national outrage. The incident, which occurred in October, has led to widespread demonstrations under the #JusticeForCwecwe movement.
While Police Minister Senzo Mchunu recently revealed that 259 rape suspects were arrested in a single week, 95 of them in KwaZulu-Natal, Biyela argues that South Africa's justice system continues to fail survivors. Despite securing over 4,500 convictions in the last two years, she criticized the system as “weak,” particularly in protecting women and children from sexual violence.
"The justice system in South Africa has failed women and children. Boys are also being targeted and raped daily," Biyela stated. "Unless the justice system is overhauled, we will continue to see perpetrators go unpunished, emboldened by the knowledge that the laws are insufficient."
Biyela emphasized that the lack of swift justice for offenders only perpetuates the cycle of abuse, as perpetrators feel free to continue their crimes with little fear of consequence.