National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and Thuthuzela Center have joined hands to equip traditional leaders about Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases. Traditional leaders are the first point of call for most people who want to report Gender-Based Violence cases in rural areas.
At the workshop held in Mbizana in the Eastern Cape, it was revealed that there are common incidents where some families just resolve the rape cases by slaughtering a goat, to bring peace between the victim and the suspect.
In most cases, the role of traditional leadership in resolving disputes or cases within the community overlaps with judiciary duties. At the workshop held in Mbizana, it was revealed that there is a recent case, where a 13-year-old was allegedly raped by a relative. In this incident, the families resolved the matter by slaughtering a goat, and the perpetrator was not charged.
Thuthuzela Care Centre co-ordinator Zandile Deyi says the chiefs have been called to assist in the matter.
“With the families, they think to pay for the damage that’s how they must do with the cases so that is why we called the traditional leaders because some families they just say ‘let’s pay the cow and settle everything’, so we decided to call the chiefs because they are in the area. So they will be our eyes and ears. So they will be able to assist us so that the cases must come to court,” says Deyi.
In Fort Donald, a village not far from where this workshop was held, a woman accused of adultery, was forced to have sexual intercourse publicly, by a traditional leader. Traditional leaders were encouraged to involve the police in such cases. Chieftess, Nolizwi Sigcau, says not reporting cases is common in rural areas.
“They do go to negotiations, but I am not sure how far do they go, but when these things happen, the families, they will say they will talk about that. maybe they will make an arrangement, maybe, there is a lump sum that they charge each other and they pay for it,” says Sigcau.
NPA, Luxolo Tyali, says the workshop will benefit traditional leaders and enable them as to which cases ought to be brought before the court of law.
“If you come to report a matter, this is how you deal with it, if you come to a sexual offences matter this is how you are dealing with it, and you can be able to liaise with the police and Thuthuzela Care Center to assist these people.”
Elderly women, children and people living with disabilities are most vulnerable to all forms of abuse in the rural areas. Their voice cannot be heard enough due to a lack of knowledge about the justice system.
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