The safety of young children, particularly girls, is under threat in Gauteng as 13 981 Form 22s were completed over the past four financial years. Form 22s are mandatory forms to report evidence of sexual abuse of children. This means that 13981 incidents were reported with evidence provided. It is alarming and disheartening that our innocent children between the ages of 11 and 16 years old were raped and are growing victims of this serious violation, which severely impacts their future.
This shocking information was revealed by the Gauteng Department of Social Development MEC, Faith Mazibuko, in a written reply to the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).
See the reply here.
In her response to the DA’s questions, Mazibuko revealed that in 2022/2023, there were 5432 cases of statutory rape in the province, while the following financial year recorded 3585 cases. Last financial year, there were 3634 cases, while in the first quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year, 1330 cases have been recorded. She did not disclose how many of these cases were investigated by the police.
The Department of Social Development, as well as designated child protection services funded by the department, receives reports of cases of statutory rape via the submission of manual or digital Form 22s. These are mandatory forms to report every case of potential rape involving girls under the age of 16. The DA demands that the Gauteng departments of Education, Social Development , Health and Community Safety must work together to report statutory rape to the police to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
The DA will table follow-up questions to ascertain whether all these incidents have been investigated by the South African Police Service (SAPS), and how many arrests and convictions have been made. We demand case numbers, and the names and contact details of investigating officers to ensure justice for these children.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would ensure that incidents of sexual abuse of children are immediately reported to the police to initiate investigations and perpetrators are prosecuted. These cases will be prioritised to make Gauteng a safer place for children.