As sixteen days campaign ends, work against GBV continues for organizations

Another 16 Days of Activism for no violence against women and children are coming to an end and there are concerns not much has been done to tackle the scourge.

Thursday marks the end of the campaign, but organisations such as Philisa Abafazi Bethu continue to serve communities where there are high levels of violence, drug abuse and gangs.

On a piece of land in Steenberg, opposite a school, there are 29 colourful Khoisan shipping containers.

This is where the organisation’s new family centre is – with three safe houses for mothers, children and LGBTQIA+ survivors of rape along with emergency rooms, offices and an aftercare centre.

It opened about two weeks ago on a space that was once used by gangs, drug dealers and where a woman was raped.

Director Lucinda Evans said they were now also opening their doors for men.

“How can we as an organisation that started off with a feminist approach and are still very much so living the values of feminism, include men in our conversations?”

Evans also said she was disappointed in President Cyril Ramaphosa and said he was not serious about addressing gender-based violence. She said there were still men who were out on bail charged with rape or assault.

“How can the president decide that we will have five days of mourning for a 365-day pandemic? Have you found all the parolees that were released and unaccounted for? I will not forget, Mr President, what you have said.”

She also stressed that proper allocation of resources is needed for organisations that are on the ground dealing with these matters and doing the intervention work.

-EWN

In other news – I am sorry – Woman who ‘killed’ King Zulu’s son Prince Lethukuthula confesses

Members of the Zulu Royal House looked at each other in amazement as they heard the whispered words of one of the murder accused as she went down the steps to the holding cells.

“I’m sorry,” she said. The five accused in the murder case of Prince Lethukuthula Zulu appeared in the Randburg Magistrates Court yesterday, Learn More

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