ETHEKWINI, which was named among the top three districts in KZN with a high prevalence of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), today saw Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli launch the province’s 365 days campaign where he raised the alarm about the abuse “being levelled against victims behind closed doors and at taverns”.

Launched the day after the end of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children (Wednesday, December 10), KZN’s 365 Days Against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide campaign is a clarion call for all to act on the scourge. Ntuli made a call to the people of KZN to “stop negotiating with abusers and perpetrators of violence”.

“When you open a case, do not close it because your abuser has promised to pay or has bought your silence with a gift,” said Ntuli. “We are losing too many women and children because families want to negotiate and hide the abuse. Every week in this province we are a burying a woman or a child that has been killed because of GBV and people tolerating this scourge.”

To those in abusive situations, he said, “No amount of money is worth your life. Parents, stop telling your children to stay in abusive relationships because you like their husband or fear what people are going to say.”

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The launch of the campaign was supported by scores of protesters, religious and traditional leaders, and civic organisations who marched from King Dinuzulu Park to Durban City Hall where the provincial programme was launched in full.

The march, organised and led by the interfaith society, was opened and closed with a prayer. KZN Provincial Chaplain Lungi M Magwaza said they are responding to the premier’s call to intervene as religious leaders.

“We had to act and be part of the campaign,” said Magwaza. “As religious leaders we play a vital role in society, we are the ones who are counselling abuse victims and the ones who have to preside over the burials and funerals of those killed as a result of gender-based violence. We can intervene and assist in fighting this scourge.”

March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese Zuma, who was among the protesters, called on society to act on drug and alcohol abuse which has been linked to most cases of GBVF.

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“People must root out drugs from our communities. The drug dens and tuckshops selling drugs must be shut down. We need communities to come together and put a stop to all the illegal activities going on in the country. Churches must speak up against having bottle stores and taverns neighbouring them and becoming a part of degradation of society. Let’s bring back the hope and the love that we once had for this country,” said Ngobese Zuma.

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