The North West provincial government has called on victims of gender-based violence not to drop cases against their perpetrators.

They made the request during a men’s march in Mahikeng.

Crime statistics for the fourth quarter indicates that the province recorded a decline of 4.8 percent in gender-based violence cases reported.

Video | North West government marches against GBV:

MEC for Community Safety Wessels Morweng says they struggle to get convictions in court.

Morweng states that they have been losing cases especially when they get to prosecution because the prosecution will indicate to them that they do not have a watertight case.

“So our police have tightened in as far as this is concerned so that we don’t let these perpetrators off the hook and most important issue that  communities have raised to me including the police, they have indicated to me that please speak to the victims of gender-based violence more often than not. Once we have made progress with regards to prosecution of the case, we will be told by a victim that we need to withdraw the case,” says Morweng.

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