Minister Ramatlakane addressed about 100 delegates at the two day summit which started at the Holiday Inn Gardern Court Hotel in Cape Town's Strand street on 23 June.
Delegates attending the anti-rape summit come from the South African Police Services, Non- governmental Organisations and private institutions.
"Many of you are practitioners in the field. You know the challenges. You know the pain that our people experiencing." said Minister Ramatlakane.
He added that the Western Cape Provincial Police Commissioner Mzwandile Petros confirmed that the crimes of rape and the abuse of children remain a big challenge.
"It is for this reason that the Department of Community Safety is continuing its work to mobilise the communities to break the silence. As a result of that more and more people are now reporting the rape cases hence there is an increase in these cases."
Minister Ramatlakane added that: "I salute the women with strength who have chosen to come forward and talk about this kind of pain (of being raped) - so that action is taken against the perpertrators of these crimes".
Meanwhile, Advocate Thoko Majokweni of the National Prosecuting Authority told the delegates that "all government departments from Forestry to minerals and energy, we all have a responsibility to ensure that rape is avoided."
"Our challenge as practitioners, police officers, prosecutors :- we have a duty to ensure that the victim is being afforded the environment where she can be safe to report her crime."
She said transportation, quality statement taking, fast tracking of rape cases through courts thereby reducing frustration and constant information dissemination to the survivor, are important imperatives in providing good support to a rape survivor.
The anti- rape summit comes to an end on 24 June 2005.
Media Enquiries
Makhaya Manie: Media Liaison AffairsMinistry of Community Safety: Western Cape
Tel: 021 483 3873
Cell: 082 7804493
