Cape Town – Zimbabwean Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reportedly said that adopting castration as a means to punish those found guilty of rape would not solve the problem.
According to New Zimbabwe, the vice president maintained that castration was also not an answer to the sexual abuse of minors.
He said castration would "be a step too far".
"The imposition of mandatory sentencing is the best practice applied in other jurisdictions such as Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa," Mnangagwa was quoted as saying.
He said that principles with regards to minimising mandatory sentencing on rape and other sexual offences would be presented to the Cabinet soon.
President Robert Mugabe, however, in 2013 called for harsher penalties as part of measures to deal with the vice.
The veteran leader at the time described the crime as a rampant problem and insisted on tougher action, adding that he was open to the introduction of castration.
Watch the video below as Mugabe speak.