Safety gadgets given to community members to help combat GBV

As a result of recent crime statistics indicating that gender-based violence and sexual offenses are on the rise at an alarming rate in kageng, MEC for Community Safety and Transportation Management, Sello Lehari has provided safety gadgets to the elderly in Zakhele Informal Settlement.

Known as “Memeza,” these safety gadgets are simple to use. Using rechargeable batteries, they operate similarly to regular household alarm systems. The battery can last up to eight hours and is linked to the nearest police station.

“All these efforts are short term plans to end this repugnant act. We must find a way to change the mindset of our people and ensure that in the long term,gender based violence ends.  We must restore family values,” Lehari said.

“The moral ethos that guides us is that denigrating a fellow human being is not a sign of strength but of weakness. That as men we must defend the defenseless, protect the weak and not humiliate the vulnerable and disgrace culture”, Lehari continued.

The Acting Head of the Department, Molefi Morule said communities also play an important role in fighting the scourge. “It has now been twenty four years since we began to have the annual campaign in South Africa. It is time to have tangible results,” he said.

In addition, Morule noted that preaching the same sermon without seeing any changes would not be acceptable. “The time to change is now and the people we must change is us,” he said. 

MEC Lehari says restoration of family values and moral ethos is the best tool to fight GBV

“In the long term we must also look at how we raise our children. If we all guide them properly at a young age, they will grow up knowing that their rights come with responsibilities. This will restore our common values we call botho,’’ he said. 

“They will learn from a young age that there are other ways to resolve conflicts than violence. We were brought up to be respectful and taught never to dishonour the name of our fathers by subjugating our mothers. We were taught that the first right of a free person in a democracy is safety and not to live in fear,” he added.

In order to have a free society, Lehari noted that members of the community must respect everyone’s rights and never abuse the physical power that Mother Nature has given us as men.

When reported cases of gender-based violence remain unresolved for a long time, victims are encouraged to contact the Department’s Civilian Secretariat for Police.