Deputy President David Mabuza on 25 November 2020 marks the beginning of five days of mourning and remembrance at the Union Buildings, Pretoria, for those who lost their lives due to gender-based violence, femicide and the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. Picture: GCIS
This week South Africa started observing its annual 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence and femicide campaign, while also observing five days of mourning for those who lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Starting on Wednesday, the country also started flying its flags at half mast countrywide, focusing on those we have lost.
The Citizen honours the departed with a selection of daily stories, looking at the heroes who have survived the virus, the doctors, nurses and others who treated them, and updates on all aspects of the lockdown that affected ordinary South Africans during the national lockdown since its implementation in March.
Sadly, we also have to examine the unfortunate incidents which emerged during this period. These include cases of police brutality, an increase in gender-based violence, and the governing party appearing to pay lip service to the fight against the abuse of women and children, while protecting those within its ranks, who stand accused of these very crimes.
South African Breweries (SAB) senior corporate affairs specialist, Zandile Nqoko, walks past a mural in Soweto on 1 October 2020. SAB, with the Gauteng provincial government, have partnered to address and tackle the harmful consumption and abuse of alcohol. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
Industry bodies are urging government, retailers, and drinkers to act responsibly, as they fear that superspreader events could force another alcohol ban.
Government must crack down on festive season drinkers, or so-called “superspreader events” could push the country closer to another ban on alcohol sales.
This was the warning from the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance South Africa (SAAPA – SA) director, Maurice Smithers, as the group called on government not to just rely on big industry campaigns to promote safe drinking, but to use the National Disaster Act to prevent mass alcohol-induced gatherings, late-night clubbing and drunken driving.
These three activities were among the biggest threats to the gains made in controlling the spread of the virus during the lockdown period. SAAPA wrote a letter to the national government asking them to use the Act to control the availability of alcohol during the festive season and reduce alcohol-related harm.
The militarisation of South Africa’s lockdown has been described as unfortunate, with experts lamenting that the role of law enforcement agencies would, at best, be remembered for harassment and brute force, leaving people either dead or maimed.
SANDF members patrol the streets of Alexandra Township, north of Johannesburg on 3 March 2020. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
The hard lockdown was implemented in March and by June, Minister of Police Bheki Cele had acknowledged in parliament that 49 police brutality cases were reported during that period.
A month earlier, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) had reported much higher figures of cases against the police, including 11 deaths, 280 assault complaints and 79 complaints of discharging of an official firearm.
The ANC Women’s League has written to the Mpumalanga ANC to get answers as to why a former MEC, charged with child rape, was reinstated into the party’s provincial governing structures.
The former MEC was released on R20,000 bail in September, after being charged with allegedly raping his two daughters. His stepson is also a co-accused in the rape. His bail conditions at the time required him to check in at a local police station weekly.
However, his bail conditions were relaxed by the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday, to allow him to get back to his duties for the party in the province. A day later, just before the country launched the annual 16 days of Activism against women and child abuse, the Mpumalanga ANC reinstated the accused back into the party’s leadership.
Today we wear black in solidarity with the lives lost to gender-based violence, another pandemic faced by women globally. While paperwork is drawn up and legislation is punted in our face, women continue to die; they are raped – forever scarred by men’s hands.
The government campaign is beautiful on paper but it’s of no consequence in the halls of justice and police stations – nothing more than window dressing.
This is the same justice system that grants R1000 bail to men who viciously rape even toddlers. But just like clockwork, come November 25 every year – we must reject and report abusers: act and don’t look away, our government says.
Picture: iStock
Only the ANC, it seems, would think that it is in any way acceptable to reinstate into its ranks one of its senior leaders, who is accused of raping his own two daughters, and allow him to continue his political duties.
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