Cape Town - Stronger enforcement of laws, increased investment and commitments towards dealing with problems such as DNA backlogs in court cases and training of law enforcement officers were some of the issues GOOD Party leader Patricia De Lille said needed to be addressed to eradicate violence against women and children.
De Lille, speaking in Langa on Tuesday during the party’s launch of a GBVF (gender-based violence and femicide) campaign, said there was also a need to address inequalities and sexism in communities as well as ensure support and safe spaces for victims of abuse.
De Lille, making reference to Police Minister Bheki Cele’s rant when he told Action Society director of community safety Ian Cameron to “shut up”, said the focus of the campaign was on “breaking the silence” in communities.
“National Women’s Day is a day that is supposed to celebrate the women of South Africa. But, as we so often say, there is little to celebrate.
“We are sick and tired of talking about this when so little changes. One in every five women in South Africa experiences some kind of abuse – and statistics show more than 50% of these cases include close family members or friends,” she said.
De Lille said they could no longer keep quiet “to protect” the family name or because it was uncomfortable to speak out. She said those who keep quiet would have the blood of victims on their hands “if something happens”.
De Lille said since she was appointed Minister of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, 12 properties, including six in the Western Cape, were released as shelters for victims of GBV.
She said 80 further properties across the country were identified with 47 of those selected as additional GBVF centres. She said more than 15 billboards had been installed in various provinces at police stations in areas with a high rate of GBVF crimes, including the Western Cape.
Co-founder of Baphi Abafazi Movement Buyelwa Bhomela called on women irrespective of political affiliation to stand up and fight the scourge. Bomela said since the launch of the movement they uncovered many GBV cases where victims had been suffering in silence. GBVF incidents occurred on the community’s watch and because of its silence, this bred more violence Bomela said.
GOOD Party councillor Celeste Wannenburgh said substance and drug abuse was only enforcing what was already in place.
Wannenburgh, who said she was not satisfied with the government’s interventions, said there was more that could be done to put an end to the scourge.
She said the current legislation in place was not protecting women. Instead, she said, there was a lack of its implementation.
Wannenburgh said the government needed to treat the GBVF scourge with the urgency that Covid-19 was handled with.
mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za