Commissioner for Gender Equality blames Witches for statutory rape
In a recent article published by Eyewitness News, the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) Commissioner, Princess Eurika Mogane, said “acts practised under the guise of religion, but which harm the rights of children, also need to be called out.” Mogane called on Parliament to review the Witchcraft Suppression Act “as part of its investigation into statutory rape and teen pregnancies”
The Gender Commission should know that the Witchcraft Suppression Act has been under review with the SA Law Reform Commission for the past 18 years. The Law Reform Commission has recommended that the Act be repealed!
Act 3 of 1957 is not a catch-all for unaddressed GBV crimes against children!
The Commissioner should do her homework before she makes unsupported allegations of child abuse against South African Witches!
Witchcraft does not promote gender based violence, statutory rape, or child abuse. Arguing that such crimes need to be added to the Witchcraft Suppression Act for sentencing implies that those who identify as Witches are guilty of such crimes. The Commissioner is, in effect, inciting accusations of witchcraft against unproven child abusers, and consequently placing the safety of those falsely accused of witchcraft, including traditional healers, and self-identified Witches, at risk of witch-hunts.
Witch-hunts have historically always targeted women, and in this country, accusations of witchcraft often lead to assault and murder.
The Commission is inciting gender-based violence.
This Alliance calls on the Commissioner to cease inciting violence against women on the grounds of nothing but untested and unproven assumptions of harm.
Read:
A legal review of South Africa’s 1957 Witchcraft Suppression Act (2007 – 2025)
https://paganrightsalliance.org/a-legal-review-of-south-africas-1957-witchcraft-suppression-act-2007-2025/
Mr G T Leff
Director: Legal Services
SAPRA