Police Minister, Bheki Cele says all those who abuse women and children must be denied bail. He was delivering an inaugural lecture on femicide in memory of the late Karabo Mokoena in Soweto.
Mokoena’s charred remains were found in an open field in Lyndhurst, Johannesburg, in April last year.
Her boyfriend, Sandile Mantsoe was sentenced to 32 years in jail earlier this month after being convicted of her murder.
Cele highlighted the importance of addressing double standards for young men and women.
“I am calling on the police to make sure that they protect anybody who walks in the police station to seek their assistance. The abuse and assault of women should be schedule 6 if it isn’t. That means that that person does not get bail.”
“Any person that gets bail, the first thing he thinks to do is to eliminate the evidence which is the raped woman. To hell with the society that allows women to be abused. I am making a call, please mothers, and tell the boys that nothing makes them different from the girls. They are all children and they must grow in the same way,” says Cele.
Society must protect young girls, boys
Meanwhile, Social Development Minister, Susan Shabangu, says society must take a conscious decision to protect young girls and boys from abuse.
Shabangu says violence against young men and women must be condemned.
“We must all be missionaries because gender-based violence in our society is huge. So we have to make sure the values of society and Ubuntu amongst ourselves. Our kids must be free. Where were live today, we cannot exercise barbarism. We cannot shut the doors and our kids can no longer be safe. It’s us who must change that. When we are here today we must take a stand against abuse.”
