Female members of the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Estcourt held a peaceful march today (September 16) against social ills such as gender-based violence (GBV) and rape. The marchers carried placards bearing slogans such as ‘Children need to be seen, not hurt’ and ‘Justice for victims of rape’.

The DA members marched from the Town Hall to Estcourt police station, where the women handed over a memorandum. The memorandum was accepted by Lieutenant Colonel Kandai, who promised that all matters regarding the police will be dealt with.

In the memorandum that was read out by KZN DA Women’s Network Exec and WAR 10 DA Chair Geshy Reddy, the marchers expressed their concern regarding the ongoing crisis of GBV, femicide and child abuse in KZN. While the party recognises and appreciates the efforts of the SAPS in addressing these cases, they are deeply concerned that many members of the community remain unaware of their legal responsibilities in terms of reporting such crimes.

Also read: KZN Estcourt: Four abandoned children rescued by police

“We do recognise that the mayor, municipality and ward councillors have their roles to play. However, the SAPS are the first point of contact when a victim of a crime reaches out. Therefore, the barrier of mistrust must be eliminated, victims and communities must feel safe, and the police must honour their commitments.”

The party also issued a stern warning to community members who witness GBV and then keep quiet, saying this is unlawful and amounts to complicity. They also discouraged settling child abuse matters outside of court for a payment/negotiation, as this merely protects the offender.

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