Collective action needed to fight femicide

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is calling on men in our communities to lead the battle to protect women from violence.

The department also called on all members of society to assist in reporting abuse and violence against women.

This follows the stabbing to death of Sheila Mosidi Kopanye, who was a clerk at the Temba Magistrate's Court, in Hammanskraal.

The 33-year-old mother was stabbed to death, allegedly by an ex-boyfriend in Mabopane, north of Pretoria, on Friday.

This after she posted on her social media chilling evidence of her being followed against her will, which nobody acted on.

The suspect has since handed himself over to the police.

The department has extended its heartfelt condolences to Kopanye’s family.

“Kopanye’s death adds to the increasing number of cases of women whose lives have been sadly cut short during this unacceptable endemic scourge of intimate femicide.”

The department, alongside various stakeholders, says it has been leading a number of programmes with the aim of combating domestic violence and responding to the increasing number of incidents of intimate femicide.

Minister Michael Masutha has also announced during his Budget Vote, earlier this month, an impending review of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977, which aims to, among other things, introduce harsher sentences for offences relating to domestic violence and femicide. – SAnews.gov.za