DA leads peaceful picket to Lydenburg SAPS to combat GBV directly

To raise awareness against crimes committed against women, the Thaba Chweu DA picketed in front of the Lydenburg SAPS on Tuesday August 9.

The DA requested that the Lydenburg SAPS accept and sign its memorandum of demands. The DA had apparently decided to make an appointment with the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality and to then hand over the memorandum to the Lydenburg SAPS.

It was compiled by Sonja Boshoff, member of parliament, and signed by Annerie Weber (DA’s Women Network chairperson Mpumalanga) and Comfort Sibiya (DA constituency chair).

“Women and children have become the most vulnerable beings in South Africa and are being mutilated by not only their spouses, lovers, families, and children, but are also a soft target for many men. As women and children, they do not see the SAPS doing much about these issues. What they do see is a cold shoulder and a lack of interest from the SAPS’ side to assist when trying to open a case of abuse, or at times not even wanting to come out to the address where an assault has taken place. As members of the public and members of both the local municipality and parliament, we are asking that you uphold your oath by creating a safe and secure environment for all the people of South Africa, which includes our women and children,” wrote Boshoff in the memorandum.

The list of demands from the DA included:
• That the SAPS appoint more female officers to assist in these cases;
• That the SAPS clamp down on all gender-based violence and femicide cases;
• That the police apprehend all known perpetrators;
• That the police make use of the rape crisis centre to interview the complainants and not to expose them to a room full of male officers;
• That the SAPS has a friendly room made available where minors can be interviewed.

Steelburger/Lydenburg News will publish feedback from the Mpumalanga SAPS as soon as it is made available.