SAPS committed in the fight against Gender-Based Violence Fighting the scourge …

SAPS committed in the fight against Gender-Based Violence

Fighting the scourge of gender based violence continue to remain one of the highest priorities of the SAPS and we continuously strive to improve our services and responses to crimes committed against women, children and all vulnerable groups.

The South African Police Service is mandated by section 205 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa to prevent, combat and investigate crime, uphold and enforce the law, maintain public order and protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic of South Africa. This mandate is further given expression in the South African Police Service Act, 1995 (Act No 68 of 1995) and the South African Police Service Amendment Act of 2012.

This is further supported by various National Instructions and Standing Orders of the SAPS aimed at ensuring that services provided are sensitive to the needs of victims of crime in general and in particular those of gender based violence, child abuse and vulnerable groups and that no victim who wishes to open a case should be turned away from a police station.

The management of the SAPS therefore regards allegations of this nature in a very serious light as all SAPS members know how to professionally deal with all cases of gender based violence and what is expected of them in order to render a professional policing service to the people of South Africa.

The SAPS reiterates its commitment to root out all forms of gender based violence and strongly condemns the conduct of any member who do not assist or respond to a complaint of any community member according to the organisation’s prescripts in the strongest way. Any police official guilty of such conduct must be reported and the necessary disciplinary investigations and procedures will be followed.

Members of the community are urged to continue to report any incidents of gender based violence and to immediately report unsatisfactory or unprofessional conduct to your local police station or to contact the SAPS’ National Service Complaints Call Centre on 0800 333 177 or send an e-mail to complaintsnodalpoint@saps.gov.za if all other attempts for assistance have failed.

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