Isibalo esandayo sokuthunjwa eNingizimu Afrika sesifinyelele emazingeni angakaze abonwe, njengoba izigameko zakamuva zisikhanyisela ngeqiniso elibuhlungu izakhamuzi ezibhekene nazo.
Ngokwezibalo zeStatistics SA (StatsSA), zingaphezu kuka-16 000 izigameko zokuthumba eziqoshwa minyaka yonke eNingizimu Afrika. Ngokushaqisayo, u-85% walaba abahlukunyezwayo ngabesifazane nezingane.
Izizathu zokuthumba zisukela ezidingweni zenhlawulo kuye ekushushumbisweni kwabantu, izidakamizwa, izikweletu zebhizinisi, izingxabano futhi, kwezinye izimo, zemithi yesintu lapho kusetshenziswa khona izingxenye zomzimba womuntu.
IStatsSA iveze ukuthi kusukela ngonyaka wezimali ka-2022/2023, isibalo sokuthumba eNingizimu Afrika sifinyelele ku-15 343. IGauteng iyona ehamba phambili ngezibalo zokuthumba, njengoba kunemibiko engu-7 818. IKwaZulu-Natal ilandele ngamacala okuthumba angu-3 081 ngesikhathi esifanayo.
Izibalo zobugebengu ziveza ukuthi amacala okuthumba anyuke ngo-183% esikhathini esiyiminyaka eyisishiyagalolunye. Kusukela esikhathini sika-2012/2013, lapho kwabikwa khona amacala ayizi-3 832, kuya esikhathini sika-2021/2022, lapho kwaqoshwa khona amacala ayi-10 826, lesi simo asizange sibonise izimpawu zokuncipha.
Ekhuluma ku-eNCA, uDkt Shaheda Omar, umqondisi weTeddy Bear Foundation for Abused Children, uthe okudabukisayo wukuthi izingane zivame ukushiywa zingenasizo ngenxa yokwehluleka kwezinhlelo zokuzivikela.
“Ngisho nendawo okuthiwa iphephile, okuyikhaya, ayiseyona indawo yokuphepha kwezingane.”
U-Omar uthe kunesidingo esiphuthumayo semfundo yabasebasha mayelana nezinqubo zokuphepha. Uthe kubalulekile ukuthi izingane ezineminyaka emibili zikwazi ukuhlukanisa phakathi kwezimo eziphephile nezingaphephile.
UHerman Bosman, ongumphathi wezigigaba zokuthumba kanye nezinhlekelele kwa-TSU International Services, uthe babonile ukuthi amacala okuthumba aphindeke kabili ngenani kusukela umqedazwe we-Covid-19.
“Besineziyisishiyagalombili ngosuku ngo-2010. Kwikota edlule, besibheka amacala angama-50 ngosuku. Leyo yinto edinga ukuhlaba umkhosi futhi sidinga ikomiti elisemqoka ukubhekana nalokhu,” usho kanje.
Unxuse izinhlaka zikahulumeni ukuthi zithathelwe izinyathelo ngokushesha, axwayise ngokuzithela ngabandayo ekubhekaneni nalobu bugebengu. UChad Thomas, ongumphenyi wamacala ezezimali kanye nophenyo lwe-IRS Forensic Investigations, uthe liyakhula umkhuba wokuthunjwa kwabantu ukuze bathole isihlengo, njengoba iNingizimu Afrika ikleliswa njengezwe elihamba phambili e-Afrika kanye nelesikhombisa emhlabeni jikelele ezimweni ezifuze lezi.
Uthe sekunoshintsho olwenziwa yizinhlangano zobugebengu ekubeni zigxile kwabadla izambane likapondo kodwa manje sezibheke izisulu eziphuma emijondolo nasemalokishini, ezinye ziboshelwe ukukhokhelwa imali elinganiselwa ku-R500.
UThomas uthe sebekubonile nokuvela kwalokho okubizwa nge-express kidnappings, lapho abathunjwa bephoqeleka ukuthi bakhiphe imali kuma-akhawunti asebhange ngaphambi kokuba bakhululwe.