Spike in sexual offences in Zululand: MEC
Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza says there's been an increase in the number of sexual offence cases reported to police in the Zululand area.
Khoza and Premier Sihle Zikalala launched the Social Workers Programme in Durban yesterday.
Under this initiative, more than 180 social workers will be strategically placed at police stations, Thuthuzela centres and crisis care centres - to provide support to victims of gender-based violence.
Khoza says they'll work in the province's most vulnerable areas.
"Allocation of social workers is based on the crime hotspot districts. The eThekwini Metro has a high prevalence of sexual violence."
"There has been an increase in reported cases of sexual offences in Zululand, and this has also informed the allocation of more social workers to Zululand. The department also established a departmental call centre as a response to the challenge."
Nompilo Maphumulo who's with Lifeline and Rape Crisis in Zululand, says many of the people they work with come from strongly patriarchal family environments.
"It ends up being a problem to even intervene, so that's why we start with the sensitisation. We sensitise the community where we work. It is in deep rural areas. We work in communities that are under-resourced."
