Diligent detective, Sergeant Molwantoa Rapakgadi, says he is dedicated to his job because he has a wish of restoring trust between police and the public.
Rapakgadi, who has been working as a cop for 17 years, works at the family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit attached to the Gauteng Provincial SAPS.
The SAPS praised the detective for his contribution in the fight against women and children violence after he traced serial rapists and offenders involved in child sexual assault material (child pornography).
According to the SAPS, Rapakgadi has secured 57 life term sentences and an additional 3 074 years for 17 serial rapists.
He told Sunday World on Monday that he deals with cold cases and, through his investigations, he manages to get the perpetrators behind bars. Cases are regarded as cold when a victim cannot identify a perpetrator.
“People are hopeless now, they do not trust that we can do our job properly, so I am trying to restore the trust the public once had in the police,” he said.
Trust is key
Rapakgadi said the main challenge in his job is convincing people who have been hurt, abused and harassed to open up.
“It is not an easy job, especially because I am a man and they were either raped or physically attacked by men.
“It is therefore not easy for them to trust me. People’s attitude towards the police is negative. But being kind and human makes them feel comfortable and open up.
“It brings me joy, however, when justice prevails and the victims who were reluctant in testifying in court eventually see that the police do work.”
As the country observes the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, Rapakgadi encouraged victims to speak up about any kind of abuse.
He said speaking up helps deal with long-term emotional scars that might negatively impact the victims’ lives.
He said: “Some people were raped and they now hate men. Some fell pregnant through rape and they do not know the father of their child, wounds differ.
“It is not easy to prevent gender-based violence because it happens in people’s personal spaces, behind closed doors, in bushes and river banks. That is why it’s important for victims to report the cases.
“Embarrassment will not save them from the hostility from the perpetrators. If the case has been opened, they must follow up on it. They have a right to know how far it has gone.”
