Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo
28 November 2022
Men’s voice in conjunction with the Embalenhle SAPS police station hosted a Gender Based Violence GBV awareness
campaign in activation of 16 Days of activism at Ext 18 south hall on the 25 November 2022.
Men’s Voice is an organisation which strives towards regaining dignity and respect in the families, communities and justice systems. The purpose of the event was to redress the high rise of GBV cases against women, man and children.
In her address, Sergeant Thembi Motaung called upon women to stop reporting false rape cases and false domestic abuse at the Police Station when they might have had an agreement with their acquaintances rather they should report to the police station that the person refuses to pay them for their services rather than calling out rape.
She further elaborated that they would personally accompanied the complainant to collect the said money than sending
innocent people to jail only to find out there was an agreement to begin with.
GMM PR Cllr Lwandile Ziwele who has been a victim shared his experience about how he was robbed by one lady he came back from a certain club with. He further stated that the lady demanded an amount of R3000 which he had to go loan from the loan sharks as he didn’t want his reputation tainted.
Ziwele urged women to stop going to establishment without money only to target man.
The community of Ext 18 came out in numbers both women and men attended the event including Govan Mbeki
Municipality Councillors.
Different stakeholders took part in the program of the day.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Mrs Thembi Msibi from the Domestic Violence Unit in Evander says they have observed a lot from the members of the community when it comes to opening up protection orders.
“What I have observed in such cases is that people in relationships stay even when there is no love anymore which leads to resentment against each other. People should learn to leave relationships in due time when the love is no longer there, which leads to domesticviolence and even murder as if the person you just murdered will wake up from death loving you”, said Mrs Msibi.
Msibi advised the community to be more involved in reporting domestic cases rather than staying home and blaming the justice system for not coming through for communities. She further advised parents that starting from the year 2023 if a child under the age of 18 gets pregnant the partner will be arrested together with the guardian who will advocate that damages have been paid out.
Comments from community members included the high rise of crime in Embalenhle with the perpetrators being known to them as they fear for their lives, they therefore urged every member to take a stand in bringing down the crime in the area.
