The Executive Mayor of Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, in the North West, Matlakala Nondzaba, has encouraged the community of Macharora, Mafenya, Chaneng, Robega and Rasimone, to report any kind of abuse against women and children and assist each other when reporting such heinous crimes.
Nondzaba led a march against Gender Based Violence (GBV) together with various non-governmental organisations, business, organised labour in Chaneng village outside Sun City on Saturday as South Africa kick started the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.
The march started from Chaneng Village to Robega Community Hall and more than 50 women and children who joined in the march urged the government to tighten laws to protect women and children against abusive partners.
The marchers said they have had enough of the killing of women and children by their partners.
Nondzaba said they chose to march in the area as it had been experiencing an increase in gender-based violence and femicide because the mining industry has resulted in an influx of opportunity seekers from across the country and the SADC region.
Migrant labour systems have had a negative effect on family life because it forced thousands of men to leave their homes and come and stay in single sex compounds where family life is often non existent.
“This has led to all sorts of social ills and an increase in gender-based violence. It is therefore necessary for us to also increase awareness of this scourge among the community but also to reassure the community that the government has plans to deal with the scourge and programs to support victims of gender-based violence and femicide,” Nondzaba said.
Selina Modikwe, who attended the March has also urged the government to act harshly on those who take bribes to release perpetrators prematurely or those paid to lose dockets.
“We are enough, we can’t take it any more. Women and children are dying everyday in South Africa and perpetrators are roaming the streets after committing such crimes.
“They know that nothing will happen to them, it’s even normal for them to rape innocent people and act as if nothing has happened. The law should be tightened if they want to win the fights against these painful crimes, said Modikwe.
The 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence (GBV) is a global campaign which begins on November 25 and concludes on December 10 each year. This year’s theme for the 16 Days of Activism Campaign for 2022 is: Socio-Economic Rights and Empowerment to build Women’s Resilience against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide: Connect – Collaborate – Contract.
