The organisers of a march against Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) in Ekurhuleni have called on communities to continue holding the government and the police accountable until people feel safe where they live.
The protesters handed over a memorandum at the Kempton Park Police Station after marching from the Civic Centre.
The protest follows the discovery of 12 women’s bodies dumped in various locations across Gauteng since July this year.
One of the march organisers, Keamogetswe Masike says, “Just like how the people of South Africa stood firmly against illegal immigration, that the illegal foreigners, in particular those that are undocumented, must vacate our space.”
“We are calling for the same intervention as well from the people of South Africa that let us not let this battle subside, and we want to make noise whenever a body gets to be discovered.”
Masike adds, “Let this be our daily struggle, let this be a battle of the people of South Africa, that on a daily basis, we are on the streets. We are holding police station police stations accountable.”
POLICE VISIBILITY
Residents have also called for increased police visibility during a march.
Among the marchers was Incredible Happenings Ministries leader Pastor Paseka “Mboro” Motsoeneng. He says structures such as Community Policing Forums, Street committees and patrollers must be strengthened.
Motsoeneng has also called on police and communities to work together to tackle crime, especially GBV.
He says, “CPF (Community Police Forum) police is now are above the community. Once we abolish all that, we go back to those patrollers, street committees and special numbers, toll free numbers where people call, free numbers can call and a new unit can be dispatched to look into this…. They can put their state of emergency, it’s not going to work, let them increase the police, increase the payment for the police.”
