The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Commission), the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), released a joint statement on Wednesday expressing deep concern over the court’s decision. The entities say the acquittal was a serious setback against the eradication of gender-based violence (GBV) in the country.

In the statement, the organisations say their concerns are informed by a 2022 study which found that several women were unwilloing to report GBV cases as they have lost trust and faith in the country’s justice system.
--SABC--