Rape Case Figures Don’t Add Up

Statement by Lisa Schickerling MP – DA Spokesperson on Police:

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is outraged by the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) admission that 837 rape cases were closed over the past three financial years because victims could not be traced.

These are not administrative files. Each docket represents a victim and a justice process that appears to have been abandoned.

Even more concerning is that the SAPS’ own figures do not align. In the same parliamentary reply, SAPS states that 781 cases were withdrawn and 105 were undetected, a total of 886 cases, not 837. This 49-case discrepancy raises serious questions about the reliability of SAPS’ reporting.

The SAPS also claims that none of these cases involved incorrect or incomplete recording of victims’ contact details, and that no consequence management was required. This is difficult to accept given the scale of cases where victims were allegedly “untraceable”.

In a country facing a severe gender-based violence crisis, closing rape cases because victims cannot be traced is not a minor procedural issue, it points to deeper failures in case management, victim follow-up, and accountability.

The DA believes the SAPS must clearly account for what steps were taken before these cases were closed. Were contact details verified? Were families traced? Were victim support services and prosecutors involved? Without these answers, the public cannot have confidence in the system.

Equally troubling is that not a single official has been held accountable. This reflects a culture where failure carries no consequence even in cases involving serious violent crimes.

The DA calls for:

• An independent audit of all rape cases closed due to “untraceable victims”
• A full review of victim contact and case management systems within SAPS
• Immediate consequence management where negligence or misconduct is identified
• Strengthened victim support services to ensure survivors remain engaged in the justice process
• Improved detective capacity and oversight in handling sexual offences

South Africa cannot claim to be serious about tackling gender-based violence while cases are quietly closed and accountability is absent. Justice for victims requires proper case management, accurate reporting, and real consequences when the system fails.

The DA will continue to hold the SAPS accountable and fight for a criminal justice system that prioritises victims, delivers justice, and restores public trust.