Barely two days after the launch of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, Mpumalanga Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe has contributed towards its success by assisting the police arrest a rape victim.
The suspect was arrested on Saturday when the MEC visited Mzinoni Township outside Bethal. When the police and the MEC arrived at a local tavern to interact with the community, many people ran away and the suspect tried to hide thinking that they could not recognise him.
The police quickly arrested and sent him to Mzinoni Police Station.
The police are happy with this arrest; they say they have done a two-month work in two hours. The arrest is a success in terms of the campaign of no violence against women and children. We are sending a strong message that criminals have no place in Mpumalanga.
"This suspect has been abusing its victims mentally because he had been on the run. With his arrest we want the victims to have a peace of mind knowing that he is behind bars. We are serious when we say we want our people to fear no human being but the mosquitoes," said MEC Shongwe.
Besides the arrest of the rape suspect, the stop and search operations conducted on Friday night at Bethal managed to find a deserted gun after the owner also ran away upon the arrival of the police.
Three huge bags of dagga were also found in one of the vehicles searched by the police.
A drunk-woman was chased away by the police after she was found at a tavern with an eight-year old child. She claimed the child was 'taking care' of her at the tavern as she showed her the way back home when she is drunk.
The MEC said such women did not do justice to other women who wanted respect from abusive men.
"Both the woman and her child are in danger of being abused when they go home. It does not make sense why is she careless about her life," said MEC Shongwe.