Qacha’s Nek, Nov. 20 — A devastating surge in sexual offenses has gripped the district of Qacha’s Nek, as law enforcement and judicial systems struggle to address the crisis.
In mid-November alone, the district’s Child and Gender Protection Unit (CGPU) recorded six cases of sexual offenses, underscoring a troubling trend.
This wave of crime is reflected in the local prison population. Of the 54 inmates currently housed at the Qacha’s Nek Correctional Facility, 38 are convicted offenders, and 8 are awaiting trial meaning that 85 percent of the inmates are accused or convicted perpetrators of sexual crimes.
On November 7, Tlotlisang Thamae, a 19 year-old herd boy from Ha Rapase was sentenced to eight years in prison or an M8,000 fine for the statutory rape of his 13-year-old girlfriend.
