Lesufi says GBV only crime that Gauteng has struggled to bring down

JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said the only crime the province has struggled to bring down is gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

Speaking at a signing ceremony of the new Cross-boundary Law Enforcement agreement in Soweto on Tuesday, he said there was an urgent need to bring down the scourge.

The new agreement will allow all law enforcement agents to work across municipalities without jurisdiction restrictions.

He added that a 72-hour period would be given to police to effect arrests of GBVF suspects.

"All the crimes in our province we have taken down, there’s only one crime that continues to go up and it’s gender-based crime, so we have to start now to protect our women and children, we have to start now to ensure that every person that kidnaps, that rapes or kidnaps our women we must declare a 72-hour activation to hunt them."

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