Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo

13 June 2022

Gert Sibande District Municipality in its fight against gender-based violence in the province, organized a march against GBV in Emzinoni.

The district and local AIDS Council held their meeting at Raymond Mavuso Community Hall after the match against GBV on Wednesday, 08 June 2022.

The meeting followed after a convoy of vehicles traveled from Emzinoni fire station to Emzinoni SAPS where a pledge by the Acting district EM, Cllr Busisiwe Mkhwanazi was submitted to the SAPS and read as follows:

“For the love of our country as the Gert Sibande District AIDS council and Govan Mbeki Municipality AIDS local council, we pledge to fight GBV and femicide to end.

We recognize that the violence against humankind and children is the manifestation of a profound lack of respect.

We acknowledge the adverse effects violence has on our country.

We also acknowledge the psychological and physical trauma violence has on humankind, we therefore commit ourselves to play a meaningful role in ending GBV and femicide by reporting all forms of GBV to law enforcers and by providing support to victims.

Thereby educating and encouraging our communities to report all forms of violence, we commit to work closely with SAPS in ensuring a safer community, enough is enough”.

In their numbers, women from local NGOs, councillors, and Officers gathered and matched to Raymond Mavuso Community Hall from the police station and along the road were joined by a group of high school learners from Emzinoni .

This march was sparked by the high rise of GBV cases in the province.

”As the police, we cannot fight GBV on our own.

The issue of GBV has escalated too much now and we as police are glad that today you are standing up and joining hands with us in the fight this crime together,” said Stg Cynthia Mtshweni.

“On the reported cases from the 1st of March 2022 to the 31 of May 2022, we have up to 80% female cases and up to 20% are male cases on GBV.

We are raising this voice that it is enough and there is no excuse for these crimes,” said Capt Cynthia Mtshweni.

During engagements at Raymond Mavuso Community Hall, senior citizens from around Emzinoni joined the engagement session and it was disheartening to hear that most are abused by their children.

Police and other stakeholders pledged to ensure that everyone’s rights are protected.