Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane says civil society organizations and non-government organisations (NGOs) need to strengthen their partnerships to educate residents about gender-based violence and femicide.
He was speaking during a gender-based violence awareness campaign held in Lusikisiki. The campaign was marked by a march led by the Premier from St Elizabeth Hospital to the town’s CBD.
Mabuyane said: “Men and women should be treated equally. So in areas like this, we still hear funny stories that men think they are better than women. So we are here to make sure that people understand their rights and encourage women to report these cases and also capacitate our police stations and work with our social partners to make sure this thing stops.”
Govt urged to revise SA’s constitution
Traditional leaders in the Eastern Cape are calling on government to revise the Constitution of the country to better protect victims of gender-based violence.
Elderly women have been killed in the area after being accused of witchcraft.
Young girls are abducted and forced into marriage under an old custom called ukuthwala (female abduction).
In the latest crime statistics, Lusikisiki was named a rape hotspot, surpassing Inanda in KwaZulu Natal.
Community members share their experiences
Some community members say they still struggle when reporting cases of gender-based violence in this region.
One resident says, “We were assaulted by a man and we struggled to open a case. Even though we have opened a case, he comes and threatens us. So justice is moving very slow.”
“There was an incident of an LGBTQI member here in Lusikisiki who was buried outside his home because he has not been accepted by his family,” says another.
Campaign against rape and Gender-Based Violence in Lusikisiki: Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana
