Kwa-Thema – The Music Performers’ Association of South Africa (Mpasa), the Department of Justice (DoJ) and Correctional Services, the Department of Sports and Arts and Culture and other stakeholders joined forces to fight GBV.
The organisations held an Awuyeke! Stop GBV! Build Healthy Nations and Families programme at the Kwa-Thema Old Age on Friday, followed by a sports day at Phelang Special School on Saturday.
Mpasa chairperson Stephen Tsie said, “We have had awareness campaigns on GBV, and people are now aware of it. It’s now time for action.”
He said people should search for answers and solutions, which is why various stakeholders were invited to get involved. Tsie said they invited the Kwa-Thema Tavern Owners’ Association to get them involved.
“We should get all the taverns in the community to have CCTV cameras so we can trace a person’s movements after they disappear, having last been seen at a tavern,” he said.
The DoJ director of legal services in the province, Patricia Nyamandi, said there are different types of abuse people should be aware of and that it is not always physical.
She said there is also financial abuse that happens in relationships.
A member of Mpasa and legendary singer Babsy Mlangeni said the disabled are also abused and mocked, especially when still young.
He also mentioned his childhood experience, saying he went blind when he was three and growing up, his peers would call him names like “Squint” and “Sightless”.
Performances by legendary singers and a Q&A session by the attendees and stakeholders followed the day’s programme. Tsie said they had the sports day to speak to the youth and get their point of view.
“There’s a saying which goes, ‘See the world through the eyes of the child’, which we followed.
“We are trying to get where they come from and how best they see GBV can be fought,” he said.
The programme also formed a committee to work closely with the Kwa-Thema Police Station to get monthly GBV stats and brief Mpasa.
Mpasa has also involved soccer legends, with Teenage Dladla chosen to be the organisation’s Kwa-Thema ambassador in sports.
