- Residents in KTC urged the government to impose severe penalties against the perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV).
- Residents in KTC urged the government to impose severe penalties against the perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV).
- The event was organised by Gugulethu police and other local organisations.
Residents in KTC urged the government to impose severe penalties against the perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV).
They made this call during the launch of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign on Friday 24 November.
The event was organised by Gugulethu police and other local organisations.
The event kicked off with a march with protesters handing out brochures with information concerning GBV.
One resident, Lwando Maqhetseba, by contrast, told City Vision that men are the ones affected the most by GBV.
“Women abuse us emotionally, physically and financially,” he said. “Whatever they want to do to us they do because they know the law is on their side. Our law in this country protects women the most.”
While agreeing perpetrators of GBV must “rot in jail”, he also believed men shouldn’t be scapegoated for other people’s suffering.
Mabhuti Mkhangeli, Manager of the Gugulethu organisation Mothers2Mothers, described the launch as a special occasion, one for encouraging people to speak out against GBV.
Mothers2Mothers is a non-government organisation (NGO) that uses a peer mentorship model to provide health and HIV/Aids information and support to pregnant women and new mothers living with HIV/Aids.
Mkhangeli, a sangoma who is openly gay, said there was abuse even in same-sex relationships. He said that many people use the nature of their relationship with their victims as an entitlement for abuse.
“GBV is real. People are abused and killed by people who pretend to love them. Even some of the traditional healers sleep with their initiates in the name of healing them. We need people to come forward, and not keep quiet.”
Gugulethu Social Crimes Coordinator Const Nomapha Homane described the event as one for broadening the fight against widespread abuse of the more vulnerable, women and children.
“The campaign starts on Saturday 25 November and ends on Sunday 10 December,” she said, “but our struggle against GBV continues way beyond that. We campaign against it for all 365 days of the year.”
According to Homane, it is time for the community to unite against GBV. She stated that GBV can occur against both genders and urged men not to be shy to open GBV cases.