Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation, Blade Nzimande has urged all institutions working with Higher Health to work collectively to implement programmes towards addressing the challenges of sexual and gender-based violence within the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system.
This after a 26-year-old woman, who is a student at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) was stabbed several times, allegedly by her husband, on Saturday.
In the now-viral video footage, a male can be seen stabbing a female on the ground on the sidewalk of the building where she lived.
It is believed that the 30-year-old husband is a student at the University of Western Cape.
The incident happened 24 hours after the UWC marched to raise awareness about gender-based violence.
Nzimande welcomed the swift response of law enforcement agencies in arresting the suspect, who, according to the video footage in circulation, was merciless and barbaric in committing the crime against his spouse.
Worryingly, Nzimande said that gender-based violence (GBV) or violence against women and girls (VAWG) was a global pandemic that affected one in three women in their lifetime.
He said as many as 38% of murders of women were committed by an intimate partner, and 35% of women worldwide experienced physical and sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.
Launching the Transforming MENtalities Initiative, to tackle GBV, Nzimande said it would focus on mobilising men in the sector to be part of championing a world free of gender biases, stereotypes, violence, and discrimination.
The minister wished the victim a speedy recovery in hospital. The suspect is expected to appear in court.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
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