Durban - KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza says the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) will not be won if the government is left to tackle the scourge all by itself.
Speaking during the sitting of the KZN Legislature on Thursday, Khoza said it was worrying to hear of GBV cases in many parts of KZN while there were ongoing efforts in the form of awareness campaigns.
“We are disturbed by reports of allegations of sexual harassment in some municipalities, and one would like to appeal to honourable members to spread the word against any form of harassment,” said the MEC.
She added that the department would continue to call for legal action against individuals that sought sexual favours from young women or had intimate relationships with underage girls.
“The fact is we should frown upon adults that have intimate relations with underage girls and be explicit in saying that such an act is statutory rape,” the MEC said.
In recent weeks KZN has recorded a number of GBV incidents that have left communities shocked, including the killing of a woman who was pregnant with triplets in southern KZN.
In addition to this, the bodies of two elderly women were discovered in a shallow grave near a crèche in Umgababa, south of Durban two weeks ago.
Khoza warned that without the involvement of public representatives and members of the public, department efforts against gender based violence would amount to nothing.