Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women and Children, Susan Shabangu, emphasised the need for communities to work with the law enforcement agencies to ensure that perpetrators of violence are brought to book.
The Minister was representing President Jacob Zuma at the launch of this year’s 16 Days of Activism of No Violence against Women and Children campaign held at the Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, on Saturday.
The local communities welcomed the launch of the campaign, saying this will ensure that perpetrators of violence are brought to book.
Nomkhosi Qindi, a local resident of Missionvale, told SAnews that men who abuse women and children must be exposed and sent to jail for a long time.
Another resident Frans du Plessis told SAnews that government must ensure that these people are sent to jail for a very long time as they deprive other people of their freedom to live peacefully.
“Men who abuse women and children must be removed from our society,” he said.
Minister Shabangu said through the campaign, government is raising awareness about violence directed at women and children and that it must be stopped.
“Women and children are raped by people who said they love them and yet they end up violating them. We are happy with the launch of the campaign because we are going to root out this evil in society,” Minister Shabangu said.
Incidences of violence
The Minister expressed concern about some incidences of violence directed at women and children.
“This year we have witnessed the worst and most shocking incidents of violence against women and children.
“The most brutal and barbaric acts were reported such as incidents where women were killed and their bodies were burned and also cases of cannibalism in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal where body parts of women and children were eaten. We never thought we could hear of anything like that in our lifetimes,” the Minister said.
Minister Shabangu said almost every day the media reports on abuse, both at home, work and in public spaces.
“Schools, which used to be safe havens for our learners, have now become high risk areas for our girl children because of some unscrupulous teachers and caretakers, who abuse them sexually. Many boys have also become victims of sexual abuse.
“The crime of human trafficking needs to be highlighted more in the country as it is a silent crime, where victims disappear without trace,” the Minister said.
Minister Shabangu said women and children are also victims to other non-violent but equally harmful forms of violations, such as abusive language and deprivation of necessary material support in their homes.
Stats
According to the Minister, from April 2016 to December 2016, there were 37 000 reported cases of sexual offences. Out of these cases, 80 percent were rape cases.
Minister Shabangu said gender based violence is estimated to cost South Africa up to R42 billion per annum as revealed by the SA Police Services’ statistics.
16 Days Activism Campaign
This year marks the 19th anniversary of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign in South Africa.
The campaign focuses on raising awareness of the negative impact of violence on women and children, as well as on society as a whole. It also focuses on seeking prevention interventions to the on-going violence perpetrated on women and children. – SAnews.gov.za
