Bredasdorp, Cape Town -
The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) on Sunday said it was reeling with shock and anger following the gang-rape and mutilation of Anene Booysen.
“This reminds us yet again of the continued presence of rape and other forms of sexual violence in our country,” Casac said in a statement.
“ 1/8Her 3/8 mutilation confirms once again, that rape is not a crime of sex but a crime which uses sexual violence to exert power and subjugate another.”
The 17-year-old was found disembowelled at a construction site last week Saturday and later died from her injuries. She was buried in Bredasdorp a week later.
Three men have since been arrested for Booysen's murder. One of them is expected to appear in the Bredasdorp Magistrate's Court on Monday, while the other two will appear on Tuesday. It is alleged Booysen's identified one of her killers shortly before she died.
Casac welcomed the response and called for action from the public; as well as praising police for acting swiftly on the case.
Nevertheless, Casac's researcher and analyst, Nomboniso Gasa said, the high prevalence of rape and sexual violence continued to raise questions about the criminal justice system.
“There are hard and urgent questions that must be answered. Firstly, we must ask why do we have such low levels of arrest and conviction of those responsible for these crimes?” she asked.
Chairperson of Casac, Sipho Pityana, said the country's “culture of sexual violence” needed to be broken down so that the freedoms offered by the Constitution could become a reality.
“We will monitor progress in this and other cases.”
Some of the honorary members of Casac include the late Kader Asmal and former apartheid activist Mamphela Ramphele. - Sapa