The MEC was speaking at an awareness campaign against gender-based violence (GBV) on Friday, September 1 at the entrance of Phalaborwa. Ramathuba, who is known to be outspoken, called on men to stop abusing their partners and children. She gave the police and medical practitioners a tongue-lashing saying they ill-treat rape victims at times.

“Police you must stop asking girls who report a rape why they wore a short skirt. Doctors and nurses must stop their negative attitude towards rape victims who want to consult. “You need to treat their situation as an emergency,” she said. She further told parents to stop forcing their daughters to get married and to stay in the marriage after it had broken down.

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She said many women end up dying at the hands of their abusive husbands because they were told that they cannot divorce even when the marriage does not work out. She concluded by encouraging absent fathers to start building a relationship with their children born out of wedlock. “If a man does not take care of his children, he is responsible for the social ills that we see in society.

Boys who grow up without fathers tend to have a lot of anger that can lead to crime and abuse of women because of the lack of a male role model,” she said. Other speakers included Merriam Malatji, the mayor of BaPhalaborwa, and Glen Mabunda of the Lulekani Disability Forum who gave a speech as a civil citizen and also led ta candlelight procession, as well as members of SAPS.