He says protecting victims starts with getting the basics right in law enforcement. These include proper training for the police, who are sometimes the survivor’s first point of contact.

Mchunu was commenting on a case in Umlazi, south of Durban, where a four-year-old victim was assaulted again after her alleged rapist was released from prison.

The minister says complex cases need the expertise of other departments such as social development, adding that police officers often lack specialized training to handle sensitive cases.

“A magistrate cannot be technical about rape, literally. He can rather say, without breaking the law, that is what is needed. But simply releasing a perpetrator could make us go through what we went through.”

READING: Five matric students raped, robbed in Eastern Cape

Mchunu briefed the Portfolio Committee on Police on Wednesday.

He says there are still gaps in case management and court appearance preparation for repeat offenders.

“Investigating officers do not easily detect that this person is there so that they mention when bail applications are made in court. It’s something we have to crack down on.

“It’s these little loopholes that we’ve identified,” he said.

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