National Assembly agrees to revive motion to investigate statutory rape, possibly recommend changes to law

CAPE TOWN - The National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously agreed to revive a motion to investigate statutory rape and if necessary, recommend changes to the law.
 
The motion was originally introduced by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) last year, but the committees tasked with the job were unable to meet the March deadline.
 
The EFF wants Parliament to amend the law to make it mandatory for teachers and nurses to report suspected cases of the rape of minors.
 
With 122,000 teenagers having given birth in 2024, South Africa has one of the highest global rates of teenage pregnancy.
 
MPs said that statutory rape had become a crisis, and that police reluctance and cultural practices were allowing men to get away with it.
 
The MK Party's Hazel Mbele: "How many teachers have we seen walk free after impregnating learners? How many sugar daddies are still driving fancy cars while 15-year-old girls carry their babies and their trauma?"
 
African National Congress (ANC) chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli said that while four committees had done the preparatory work to investigate the matter, it had not had time to hold public hearings.
 
ActionSA's Kgosi Letlape said it was an indictment on the House for not having prioritised the matter and that bail should be denied to those accused of statutory rape.
 
"Part of the challenge is the delaying mechanisms; part of the challenges is families that are complicit because of enabling customs and circumstances."
 
The House has resolved for the portfolio committee on women and children to take the lead in probing the matter and to work in conjunction with the committees on basic education, social development, police, health and justice.
 
The deadline for report back to the House has now been extended to 30 November.