Rape cases are reported but uMkhanyakude Community prefere negotiated justice

Officers say failure to pass virginity testing causes a surge in reported rape cases by the maidens after the Reed Dance.
It has been noted that maidens, who fail virginity tests subsequently claim that they had been sexually assaulted by family members, raped, or have had consensual sex.
Cases are registered and investigated but communities in uMkhanyakude seem to believe in negotiated justice.
Though the police apprehend suspects, a payment of some kind is made to the affected family and the cases collapse.
Senior police management gave MEC for transport community safety and liaison Willies Mchunu these particulars yesterday at a meeting with the Jozini police cluster of Mkhuze, Manguzi and Jozini.
Mchunu was on the first leg of an anti-crime campaign in which he intends to visit all policing clusters throughout the province.
Not only do communities negotiate rape cases outside the legal prescripts, but they do the same with domestic violence matters.
The police said these cases were registered but as soon as investigations reach the critical stage they were withdrawn and negotiated outside the law.
According to this year’s crime statistics sexual offences in the province increased by 1 884, compared with the 11 355 cases reported the previous year.
The police also reported that they were battling stock theft in the area and asked for more manpower.
Despite these setbacks the war against vehicle trafficking via Jozini to Mozambique was being won by more than 100 police officers in “pitched street and border battles with armed thugs”.
Mchunu praised police management for their dedication and “frank admission of shortcomings and intended solutions”.
He pointed out that rogue police members in uMkhanyakude were using police resources to further party political ends.
“Serve all people without political bias,” Mchunu said. “Do not discriminate against people on the basis of political affiliation.” (Cited from Sowetan)