Fighting gender-based violence (GBV) and promoting women’s economic empowerment is at the top of the agenda for the Mpumalanga Government. This is the view of Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane.
She was addressing a Women’s Day commemoration event in Middelburg. The Premier raised concern with the increasing number of women abuse incidents.
Betty Tsie is a mother of two, who served a 10-year prison sentence for the murder of her husband, was one of the speakers during the Women’s Day event.
She has urged women to leave abusive relationships. Tsie says she killed her husband in self-defence, after she suffered emotional and physical abuse, for a long time. She says the incident also affected the children – who grew up without parents.
“My husband was abusing me until I said it’s enough and I acted in a wrong way whereby I ended up behind bars. To me, it’s like a pandemic, two weeks ago my boyfriend strangled me. I said this thing is following me it must come to an end so that why if the relationship is toxic just leave it, you will end up behind bars just like me, what about your kids?”
Businesswoman Mpumelelo Ledwaba is a digital entrepreneur and creates digital content.
She has urged young women to take advantage of available opportunities.
“I create content. I have a You tube channel. I have Instagram, where brands come to me to create content for them. What is interesting is that this is an industry-led by women and it’s easy to get to into it.”
Premier Refilwa Mtsweni-Tsipane says government is to embark on a number of initiatives aimed at empowering women. She has urged women to report any form of abuse to the police.
“We have noted with concern the rising figures of gender-based violence cases in the past year, with Emalahleni, Mbalenhle, Pienaar, Vosman, and Kabokweni, recording the highest reported cases.”
This year’s Women’s Month is celebrated under the theme: “The Year of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke: Realising Women’s Rights.”
Mpumalanga Provincial Women’s Day celebration in video below:
