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The consolidated report on the implementation of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Act has revealed that barely a handful of SAPS members are receiving specialised training in sexual offences. This lack of training means that SAPS members fail to handle sexual offences correctly, the cases fail in court – if they even make it to court – and once again the victims are failed by our criminal justice system.

The consolidated report on the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) has just been tabled in Parliament, and covers the period of 2008–2011, examining the implementation activities of the various departments charged with implementing the SOA.

The SAPS is required by law to provide training manuals and courses to ensure that sufficient numbers of SAPS officials are trained in how to deal with sexual offences. In the period under review, a total of 3 222 members took part in the First Responder to Sexual Offences Learning Programme. This programme is targeted at Client Service Centre members who would be the first person a victim will approach when reporting a sexual offence at a police station as well as crime prevention members who are on the streets fighting crime. In terms of courses for the detectives, only 3 137 members have completed the Sexual Offences Course for Investigating Officers.

How is this possible? There are currently 193 892 SAPS members. This means that fewer than 3.3% of SAPS members have received training on how to handle sexual offences. Last year alone, 66 196 sexual offences were reported to the SAPS – representing 10.4% of all contact crimes. The lack of training on how to deal with these cases goes a long way toward explaining why so many sexual offences cases either fail to go to court or fail to secure a conviction.

Furthermore, the report does not specify how intensive this training is or whether the members who have completed initial courses receive continuous training on dealing with sexual offences.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, who has been in his position for four years, said recently that the SAPS need to “act urgently” to ensure that they are a “well-oiled machine” by paying attention to training. How many more years will he repeat the same rusted statements before we see action?

I have today submitted parliamentary questions to the Minister to determine:

• The number SAPS members who have been trained in each course dealing with sexual offences for each financial year since 2008;
• the length of training for each course dealing with the Sexual Offences Act; and
• whether the members receive continuous training.

In a country where there is such a massive incidence of violence against women, it is utterly unacceptable that the SAPS is not taking this seriously and ensuring that every police officer is trained on the Sexual Offences Act.