Nkoana-Mashabane: Security forces must protect women, children
The Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has called on police and troops to protect women and children during the 21-day lockdown.
This follows several reports of the murder and rape of women and children since the start of the lockdown.
In one incident a group of men, pretending to be soldiers, raped and killed a 75-year-old woman in Sweetwaters, Pietermaritzburg.
The men gained access to her house posing as members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) assigned to sanitise homes in the area.
In a separate incident, 6-year-old Sinakhokonke Madiya died after she was raped and strangled at Ezingolweni, on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast.
In Limpopo Tiyiselani Rikhotso, an 11-year-old from Ndengeza Village, was murdered and her lifeless body found in the Klein Letaba Dam.
“I am deeply concerned about criminals who take advantage of the national lockdown to rob and murder innocent citizens. We want women and children to be safe during this time,” Nkoana-Mashabane said in a statement.
She also wants the government to ensure women are safe in their homes during the upcoming mass testing campaign.
The minister has urged security services to ensure every precaution is taken “that perpetrators do not attempt to take advantage of the situation by pretending to work for government”.