A group of people, mainly disabled, gathered at Langa Library for a technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) awareness campaign conducted by the Division of Disability and Rehabilitation Studies at Stellenbosch University on Thursday 13 March.
University researcher Dr Babalwa Tyabashe-Phume described the event as a first of its kind. She said the objective was to educate people about the danger of TFGBV and give tips on how to prevent it.
She said many people do not regard TFGBV as a form of violence.
“We are raising awareness of TFGBV, while doing more research on it. What we do know is that it affects everyone. This is why we encourage people to lock their screens using passwords, pin numbers, fingerprints or face recognition, to protect their accounts.”
“There are a lot of things happening at libraries these days. We hold various events that are informative for our people.” – Sandile Bukani
Tyabashe-Phume advises people to switch their location off, just sending it to people they trust. In the course of ongoing awareness raising visits to various libraries are planned.
“We started at Hanover Park Library on Wednesday 5 March. This is our second event today (Thursday the 13th).”
Tyabashe-Phume and her team will be at Milnerton Library today (20 March) and head to Brackenfell Library next Tuesday, 25 March.
“The aim is to run this campaign in different communities,” she said.
Langa senior Librarian Sandile Bukani, who described the event as educational, said the idea is to change people’s perception about libraries.
He said most people see libraries as places to study only.
“There are a lot of things happening at libraries these days. We hold various events that are informative for our people. This is why we want people to come in their numbers to libraries.”
Now, with South African Library Week underway, Bukani appealed to residents to use it wisely and gain valuable knowledge. “We appeal to the community to use this week wisely,” Bukani said.
“If you bring back your book we won’t fine you. It is a non-fining week.”
Zama Mlityalwa of Langa hostels Special Quarters described the event as helpful.
He said he had learnt much about protection of information.
“Having a pin number on my phone is something I didn’t take seriously, despite having serious information on it, such as my banking app and my identity number.”
Mlityalwa added he knows how scared people are at auto-teller machines, particularly when withdrawing money.