Abuse of vulnerable persons registration grows by 46.67% in Alto Tietê in August 2026, according to the SSP

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) reported the registration of 332 cases of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) involving law enforcement officers during the 2025/26 financial year. Civil society organizations expressed serious concern over these figures, highlighting the alarming involvement of police officers in committing violence.

According to IPID data, at least 72 of the investigated rape cases were allegedly committed by the police while performing official duties. This information emerged several days after the arrest of Deputy National Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant General Shadrak Sibiyi. He is accused of illegal possession of firearms, rape, human trafficking, and sexual abuse of a child after allegedly raping an 18-year-old man at a hotel in Sandton on May 16, 2026.

Recently, the acting Minister of Police, Professor Phiroz Kachalia, reported that 50,511 cases of GBVF were registered with the South African Police Service in the 2025/2026 financial year, of which 30,736 resulted in arrests or referral to the National Prosecuting Authority.

An IPID representative, Lizzy Supin, stated that Kachalia presented the directorate's annual report for 2025/26 to the National Assembly. She specified that in 2025/2026, IPID registered 5,259 cases, of which 332 were GBVF cases. Of these, 122 cases were referred, mainly concerning domestic violence, and 116 were acts of rape committed by police, 58 were assaults and torture, 24 were murders, and 10 were cases of illegal use of service firearms.

Supin also noted the regional distribution of GBVF cases: the highest number was registered in KwaZulu-Natal (60 cases), followed by Gauteng (58 cases), then Free State (52 cases), while the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape each reported 27 cases. Among the six most problematic police stations regarding GBVF, Kimberley in the Northern Cape and Mariannhill in KwaZulu-Natal were named, each with seven cases. Madadeny, Phoenix, Hhumud, and Welkom were also noted with five and six cases, respectively.

According to Supin, IPID recorded an increase in the number of rape cases committed by police, rising to 116 in 2025/2026 compared to 95 cases in 2024/2025. Furthermore, of the 116 registered rape cases, 44 were committed by officers off-duty, and 72 were committed while on duty.

During the reporting period, IPID secured 84 criminal convictions for various offenses, with sentences ranging from several months to life imprisonment. Of these 84 convictions, 26 related to GBVF cases.

Dot Field, a member of the non-executive board of the GBVF Response Fund and chair of its Advocacy, Behaviour Change and Communications (ABC) Committee, stated that the statistics cause deep concern and highlight South Africa's general challenges in ensuring effective investigation and prosecution of GBVF cases. She particularly emphasized the unacceptable nature of police officers being alleged perpetrators in a significant number of registered cases.

Field also stressed that the presented figures only reflect registered cases, meaning the true scale of violence against women and girls is likely much larger, pointing to issues with the reliability of GBVF data. The Fund and civil society continuously demand current and detailed crime statistics concerning women and children. Her priorities include strengthening the quality of investigations, restoring trust in the police, improving case tracking systems, and ensuring accountability for GBVF.

Vanessa Samuel-Chetty from the Steering Committee of the National Dialogue (GBVF Sector) also noted that the statistics may not reflect the actual number of cases, as corruption is one reason why IPID might not intervene. She also expressed disappointment with the level of conviction, expecting a much higher number of sentences, especially when the investigation was conducted by IPID. In her view, this means there is 'no safe space' regarding cases against police officers.