Women make a difference

Bonginkosi I Ntuli, Executive Secretary, Mondlo Community Police Forum, writes:-

ON AUGUST 9 we celebrated Women’s Day, honouring women for their contribution to society, because it was on this day in 1956 that the women of South Africa really made their voices heard. Let’s celebrate women’s rights and stand up for them!

* Ladies, know your rights. Since 1994 everyone has equal rights in South Africa, so women and men both have the right to life, equality, human dignity and privacy. But some rights are specific to women – these are some important ones:

* Domestic violence is violence between two people who are in a close relationship. It doesn’t matter if you are married or not, all women are protected by this law.

* Our law says that domestic violence is not a private matter, it’s a serious crime. If you are experiencing domestic violence you can go to the police station to lay a criminal charge. Ask the police where the nearest magistrate’s court is, and go there to apply for a protection order.

*Maintenance is money that a person must pay to care for his or her dependants. A dependant is someone who needs another person’s financial help to live. For example, children are dependants of both their parents.

* If you think you should be getting money to help support your child, go to the magistrate’s court and a clerk will help you to apply for maintenance. If the money is not paid then a magistrate can take some of his property.

* Our late beloved Dr Nelson Mandela put it powerfully when he said, “Freedom cannot be achieved unless the women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression”.