PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa called yesterday on South Africans to speak out against the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).
Speaking at the national Women’s Day event in Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal, Ramaphosa said GBV continued to be a stain on the commemoration.
“Hardly a day goes by in South Africa without a report of women being attacked, being violated, or even being killed by men.
“This cannot continue and this has to stop,” he said.
Ramaphosa also said the country’s women had had enough of being afraid.
“On this Women’s Day, I want to call on every South African to play their part in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide by speaking out,” he said.
The president asked men whether they would want their daughters and wives to be subjected to violence, rape or murder that many women in the country were subjected to.
“I am absolutely sure many of us will say no. I call on all South Africans, especially men, which I have done repeatedly, we need to treat women of our country with respect, dignity and recognition,” he said.
In her welcoming address, KwaZulu-Natal premier-elect Nomusa Dube-Ncube pleaded with good men, young men and uncles to stand up and fight against the abuse of women.
“We wish to make an impassioned clarion call to all the good men of our province and our country to take a lead in the fight against the scourge of GBVF,” she said.
But, the DA put rape and murder of every woman on the door step of Ramaphosa when it marched to hand over a memorandum to the Phakamile Mabija police station in Kimberley.
The party’s national spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube, said they were not interested in empty words, commissions and task teams.
Gwarube said Ramaphosa introduced a GBVF Council to tackle the scourge of violence against women two years ago but nothing had been done.
“For every woman that was raped and killed in this country, it is on you, Mr President. It is on you because you protect a minister who is clearly out of touch and ill-suited for the job,” she said.
She said Ramaphosa could fix the broken SAPS, put more boots on the ground and fund crime-fighting efforts, but he did not and was complicit.
Gwarube said if Ramaphosa and his Cabinet were serious about the safety of women in the country, DNA sample backlogs should be cleared now.
Speaking at a rally in Matatiele, EFF leader Julius Malema said women and girls lived under a difficult situation as they had nowhere to run to because they were raped by men in church, traditional councils and their homes.
Malema urged party members and supporters to report GBV crimes to EFF branches to expose all the abusers, including the police who say the abuse of women and girls was a private matter.
“We must expose all the abusers,” he said.
Meanwhile, GOOD leader Patricia de Lille called on victims of abuse and those who know of someone being abused not to shut up, but to speak out.
“If you know a family member who is abusive, don't shut up, speak up. Even if you see your friend’s mother or sister being abused, don't shut up, speak up,” De Lille said.
At the launch of her party’s “breaking the silence” campaign against GBV and femicide in Langa, De Lille said people should no longer keep quiet “to protect” the family name or because it was uncomfortable to speak out.
“Those who keep quiet will have the blood of victims on their hands if something happens.”
She also said men needed to join in speaking out if the abuse was to be stopped.
“Not just the male leaders who need to be at the forefront of this fight, but every single man and boy can play a role. You can make a difference by not shutting up,” De Lille said.