Just days after a public outcry over claims and counter-claims of gender-based violence (GBV) were made in Parliament, Gauteng police arrested more than 100 people for gender-based violence and crimes against children.
Police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele told News24 that the offences for which the 107 people were arrested included the rape, assault and murder of women.
Those who were arrested are expected to appear in magistrates’ courts in the province soon.
The arrests were part of 1 000 arrests for various crimes, including murder, robbery, carjacking, assault, robbery and the possession of stolen property, made as part of Operation O Kae Molao.
“In Sedibeng, 58 wanted suspects linked to serious and violent crimes were nabbed while [on the] West Rand, 64 suspects were nabbed…[I]n Ekurhuleni, 206 suspects were arrested. Tshwane and Johannesburg [police] arrested 400 suspects respectively,” Makhubele said.
During the debate on the State of the Nation Address this week, allegations of GBV were made against EFF leader Julius Malema and President Cyril Ramaphosa in the National Assembly
READ | GBV no tool for political point scoring, says ANCWL on MPs’ abuse claims
ANC MP Boy Mamabolo previously accused Malema of beating his wife, Mantoa Matlala – an allegation which he repeated during the SONA debate on Tuesday.
Malema responded that he never laid a hand on his wife, but went further to claim that the president assaulted his former wife, Nomazizi Mtshotshisa, who died in 2008 at age 63.
Malema followed the president’s cue and in a statement, he apologised for the claims he made, saying it was a desperate act of personal defence which he regretted.
Mamabola also apologised and retracted the statements he made.
