Almost 16,000 arrested and 2,773 convicted for crimes against children in past year
SAPS reports nearly 16,000 arrests in the past year as part of a nationwide effort to combat child abuse.
Image: File
The South African Police Service (SAPS) says 15,888 suspects were arrested and 2,773 convicted for crimes against children over the past year, as law enforcement intensifies efforts to combat abuse, exploitation and violence against minors nationwide.
The figures were released as Child Protection Month came to an end, with SAPS reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding children and ensuring offenders face justice.
“The South African Police Service (SAPS), working closely with key stakeholders, continues to intensify its fight against those who perpetrate crimes against children,” the police service said.
SAPS said the annual campaign included coordinated awareness drives, prevention initiatives and targeted operations involving government departments, civil society organisations and community structures aimed at protecting children from abuse, neglect, trafficking and sexual violence.
“As Child Protection Month draws to a close, SAPS reaffirms its unwavering commitment to protecting children and ensuring that offenders are brought to justice,” police said.
The campaign concluded with a dialogue and learner engagement session held on Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Ntabankulu in the Eastern Cape, attended by more than 300 learners from surrounding schools.
Senior SAPS officials, government representatives and community leaders participated in the session, which focused on teenage pregnancy, statutory rape, and the long-term impact of sexual offences on young people.
“The solution-driven dialogue created an opportunity for SAPS, stakeholders and learners to engage openly on the consequences of teenage pregnancy, the legal implications of statutory rape, and the long-term impact these crimes have on the lives and futures of young people,” SAPS said.
Delivering the keynote address, Major General Mmantsheke Lekhele urged learners to make informed decisions and report abuse.
She also stressed the importance of safe environments for children, adding that they must be “protected, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.”
SAPS also highlighted several high-profile convictions secured across the country during the campaign period.
In Gauteng, a Pretoria North Magistrates’ Court sentenced a stepfather to five life terms and an additional 60 years' imprisonment for rape, sexual assault, crimen injuria, and possession of child sexual abuse material, involving a victim who was 12 years old when the abuse began.
In the Eastern Cape, two suspects were arrested in Humansdorp for the alleged rape of a critically ill seven-year-old girl, after hospital staff detected signs of abuse during treatment in Gqeberha.
In the Western Cape, a paedophile from Ceres received five life terms plus 78 years for sexual offences against two nine-year-old boys and a 16-year-old girl.
In Limpopo, a 22-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a 10-year-old girl in Motetema, while in KwaZulu-Natal, a Durban Magistrate’s Court handed a life sentence to a man convicted of raping his 12-year-old neighbour.
In the Free State, a Bloemfontein Regional Court sentenced a mother to three life terms plus 23 years, alongside her boyfriend who also received three life sentences for rape, sexual exploitation and assault.
SAPS said it remains committed to strengthening the fight against crimes targeting children through continued collaboration with stakeholders and tougher enforcement action.
IOL News
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