Rape is not part of any culture, says Mbete, as state considers racism laws

Rape is not part of any culture, National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete said today. 

Giving her budget speech in Parliament, Mbete said she was shocked to hear a member of the bench attributing rape to a certain race. 

This followed complaints against High Court Judge Mabel Jansen after she was accused of making racist comments about black people and rape on Facebook. 

Journalist Gillian Schutte posted excerpts of written exchanges with Jansen, in which Jansen said: “In their culture a woman is there to pleasure them. Period. I still have to meet a black girl who was not raped at about 12. I am dead serious.” 

Mbete said the country should continue to condemn all acts of violence. 

“We simply cannot be a democracy for some, but not for women victims. Our democracy must continue to be gender sensitive to these offences and mete out harsh punishments for such crime,” she said. 

She also condemned the reports of rape and sexual violence around campuses across the country. 

“We cannot continue as if the challenges we face in this regard are not substantive and real. The space and facilities of members must be conducive to optimal outputs,” she said. 

The government was considering drafting new laws to prevent racism and hate speech, acting Minister in the Presidency Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said today. 

“The pronouncements by an esteemed member of the judiciary were unfortunate and not in keeping with what our society expects from members of the judiciary,’’ Mapisa-Nqakula said during a briefing following Cabinet’s regular fortnightly meeting. 

Jansen had been placed on special leave while the Judicial Service Commission handled the complaints against her. 

Jansen told News24 her comments referred specifically to the many cases that had crossed her desk and were made in the course of seeking help for rape victims. 
Mapisa-Nqakula said Cabinet condemned the blatant racism some individuals in the country displayed, particularly on social media. 

“It did express its disgust and laments the upsurge of racism in the country,’’ she said. – News24