Chair, reports in today's press reveal that almost one fifth of South African men have raped a woman and many have done so by the age of 17. This revelation points to a cancer in our midst which will continue to grow and spread, unless effective and urgent steps are taken to root out the causes of the crisis.
According to police statistics for 2005-06, a total of 54 907 rapes were reported to the police during the period of one year, that is 150 reported each day. The reality is thus that over 1500 women are raped each day in this country but most choose not to report that it had happened. Reports that 82 children are charged every day for raping or indecently assaulting other children is yet another indication that we have a serious societal problem on our hands.
However, our criminal justice system is not playing its part and detection rates are abysmal, our forensic science laboratories are in a shambles and our courts are in crisis, with case backlogs growing every year. Almost 68% of all reported adult rape cases and 59% of all child rape cases never go to court, with only 7% of all reported rapes ending in conviction. Rapists know that they can get away with their crimes. Why is it that nothing this government has done during the past 12 years has turned this utterly revolting tide? [Applause.]