Last week, a harrowing incident unfolded at the Pietermaritzburg police station. A 26-year-old woman, who went to the station to acquire an affidavit, was allegedly raped by a 44-year-old uniformed officer.
The officer was later arrested and charged with the crime. Cookie Edwards, Director of the KwaZulu-Natal Network on Violence Against Women, expressed her outrage, stating, “When your protector becomes your oppressor, then who do you turn to?”
The timing of this incident, coinciding with National Women’s Month, adds to the gravity of the situation.
Following the traumatic event, the woman, fearful and unable to report the assault at the scene, returned home and disclosed her ordeal to her family. They then accompanied her to the Mountain Rise police station to file a rape charge.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) confirmed that the officer is now under investigation.
According to IPID spokesperson Phaladi Shuping, the officer allegedly committed the offence after fetching and completing an affidavit for the woman. His advances were rejected, whereupon he reportedly placed his service pistol on the table and raped the woman.
The accused officer appeared briefly in court and was granted R5000 bail, subject to multiple conditions, including non-contact with the victim. However, Edwards and other gender activists have expressed deep concerns about the granting of bail, stressing that it undermines the seriousness of the case and potentially jeopardizes the survivor’s safety.
Edwards admonished, “Granting bail implies that the case is not considered serious,” and highlighted the additional risks given that a SAPS member is the accused.
The case underscores a broader issue of pervasive gender-based violence, which persists despite ongoing initiatives like National Women’s Month. Sham Govender, Chairperson of the Mountain Rise Community Policing Forum, reported an increase in gender-based violence cases, notably between Friday and Sunday nights.
Dr Kelley Moult, Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Cape Town, noted that heightened awareness during such months can influence reporting. She emphasized that events and media coverage help individuals recognize gender-based violence and direct them to available support services.
