A group of musicians has called on law enforcement authorities to work tirelessly in pursuit of perpetrators of gender-based violence. The call was made in Umsinga, northern KwaZulu-Natal, where food parcels were distributed among to the needy in the area.
uMsinga was notorious for violence during the apartheid era. The community is also one of the poorest in KwaZulu-Natal.
Most women survive by selling whatever that they can produce and they’re often subjected to violence.
In the video below, churches take a stand against gender-based violence:
This has prompted local musicians to take a stand.
“The gender-based violence is existing deeply in rural areas and no one is taking a stand to fight gender-based violence. We are here to encourage men that they are not supposed to kill women and children,” says resident Sakhile Khumalo.
Needy residents received food parcels.
Maskandi artist Thokozani Langa says they see that the area is rife with poverty.
“We can see that poverty is rife in this area. We are saying let us stand up and support each other where we can. As you eat at night, you must understand that there is someone who is not eating.”
Resident Zanele Ndlovu made the call for an end to GBV.
“We are pleading with men to do their part in fighting against this scourge. Sometimes I am even scared to walk out of my house at night; this is not supposed to be happening.”
With a sharp increase of cases of violence since the start of the lockdown, police have called on communities to work closely with them.
In the video below, victims of gender-based violence say they fear victimisation:
