Women and Children rights groups in rural areas are calling on the government to introduce more programmes that will help rural women to deal with Gender-based violence (GBV).
This call was made during the official launch of the 16 Days against Gender-based Violence at Dannhauser by KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Health Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu.
The KwaZulu-Natal government launched an integrated government campaign to re-enforce efforts to fighting the scourge of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide across the province.
One of the victims of GBV, Lindiwe Nene says many rural women, especially the married ones, stay in abusive relationships in the name of culture. She says more needs to be done to empower and educate rural women about the importance of reporting cases of violence against women and children in rural areas.
Meanwhile, a 47-year-old woman from Edendale in KwaZulu-Natal says the brutal attack at the hands of her partner has left her physically harmed, unemployed and unable to care for her 11 dependants.
Makaphelo Chili was stabbed 11 times by her partner who stormed into her house in the middle of the night and began attacking her. She says numerous calls to the investigating officer have amounted to nothing.
“He came to my house at midnight he knocked at the main house. He usually knocked at my window but this time he knocked at the door when he came to my room, and I was fast asleep at 12 midnight. He didn’t ask any questions he just started stabbing me. The first cut was just below my breast. And then he continued to stab my body and carried on the stabbing body. He even stabbed my arm and cut off a vein. I’ve done two operations and they were not successful even now I’m due to have the last operation done.”
South Africa will remember victims of COVID-19, gender-based violence and femicide from 25–29 November 2020.
As government we send our condolences to the families and friends who lost their loved ones to COVID-19 or gender-based violence and femicide. #StopGBV #COVID19SA pic.twitter.com/Kk2E01ueE0
— DIRCO South Africa (@DIRCO_ZA) November 25, 2020
Western Cape Social Development Minister, Sharna Fernandez, has emphasised the need to include men and boys in programmes to address GBV.
Speaking in Cape Town where she opened a new centre for abused women and children called Philisa’ Abafazi Bethu, Fernandez says it’s critical to get the voices of men and boys included in the programmes.
“And that is where our focus is as the department, is on the boy child, strengthening the family, providing psycho-social support to victims and survivors to ensure that we close that loop and create a safe space for anyone who’s been affected by GBV.”
Men committed to ending GBV
Men from different communities across the country have committed to working together to end GBV in their communities.
With cases of murder, rape and assault on the rise, activism groups have called on society to actively assist those being abused.
Last week Parliament also held a two-day Men’s Parliament for the Men’s Movement to look at issues confronting men in their communities.
The gathering also dealt with the progress made in setting up structures in municipalities, districts and provinces, where men can gather and deal with building better men and safer communities. The Men’s Parliament will reconvene in two years for a review.
Parliament holds two-day National Men’s Parliament to deliberate on GBV resolutions:
‘Double pandemic’
Speaking in Pretoria as South Africa observes 16 Days of Activism on Wednesday, Deputy President, David Mabuza, said women continue to face a double pandemic – as they struggle to stay safe from the coronavirus as well as their violent partners.
“We call for the unity of purpose and commitment in tackling the fight against the twin pandemics; Covid19 and GBV. We are certain that if we work together as a nation to repair the social fabric of our society, victory is guaranteed. We can now eradicate all these social ills and build a nation that is stronger and united.”
‘Harsher sentences’
In North West, residents of Madibogo-pan have called for harsher sentences against perpetrators of gender-based violence. They picketed outside the Atamelang Magistrate’s Court outside Mahikeng, where a 30-year-old man accused of the rape and murder of a 34-year-old woman made a brief appearance. Thabang Lesolle abandoned his right to apply for bail.
Batshegi Mphote’s life was brutally cut short. The mother of two was allegedly raped, murdered, and her body thrown in the nearby bush. Her partly decomposed body was found by a herd-man…four days later.
16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children launched:
-Additional reporting by Itumeleng Kgajane
