CAPE TOWN, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Wednesday pledged to deal with gender-based violence as one of its top priorities as the country is reeling under the scourge.
A range of legal and regulatory reforms have been proposed to Parliament to strengthen the response of the state to gender-based violence and to ensure that all crimes against women and children attract harsher sentences, government spokesperson Phumla Williams said.
She was responding to the 20 life sentences and 758 years imprisonment handed down on Tuesday by the North Gauteng High Court to serial rapist and home burglar Bongani Lucky Masuku.
Masuku, charged with 34 rapes, was part of a gang who raped women and girls while assaulting and robbing other relatives when they embarked on a spree of burglaries over a period of eight years.
The sentence sends a strong message to all those who may be involved in incidents of rape and sexual assault that there are severe consequences for inflicting pain on women, Williams said.
The sentence came just a week after the North Gauteng High Court sentenced another convicted rapist Nicholas Ninow to an effective life imprisonment for raping a 7-year-old child.
"These sentences show us that violence against women has no place in our society and the full might of the law will prevail," said Williams.
Every citizen must make their voice heard against the issue of rape and abuse, and in particular when a perpetrator is brought to book, she said, adding that crimes against women and children will no longer be tolerated as law enforcement agencies are working around the clock to ensure justice for victims are served.
Through imposing harsh sentences and ensuring that perpetrators of rape don't get bail, the government is happy that the judiciary is supporting the national effort to end gender-based violence to ensure abusers, rapists and murderers know that they will be caught and punished, Williams said.
South Africa, where gender-based violence is not unrare, has seen a rise in femicides over the past few months, during which dozens of women have been killed.
This has prompted the government to oppose bail for suspects charged with the rape and murder of women and children.
Those who are found guilty of such crimes should not be eligible for parole, Williams said.
Providing post-rape care for victims remains important and victims of gender-based violence are encouraged to make use of the services offered by the gender-based violence command center, said Williams.
