Community members participate in awareness march against GBV
As part of Human Rights Month, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in partnership with the North West Provincial Office embarked on a peaceful awareness protest marching against Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
As part of Human Rights Month, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in partnership with the North West Provincial Office embarked on a peaceful awareness protest marching against Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
This year, Human Rights month is held under the theme: #LeaveNoOneBehind. The Department embarked on a two-day community engagement in both Potchefstroom on Monday, 6 March and Kanana, Rustenburg on Tuesday, 7 March.
The two initiatives aim to raise awareness on the new amendments to the GBVF Acts, educate the public on citizen’s rights and responsibilities, as well as issues of divorce and marital matters.
This comes from recent statistics which shows that the North West provincial office is currently presiding over high volumes of Divorce and Domestic Violence cases.
The initiative kickstarter was a five-kilometre walk from Ikageng Magistrates Court to the Madiba banquet hall in Potchefstroom. According to the South African Police Service, 988 women were killed between April 2020 and September 2022 in incidents of gender-based violence and, according to Pule Mpolokeng, from the justice department, the Ikageng area is a hotspot.
“We do estimate over 50 000 cases in the country about domestic violence-related matters and also about the protection of harassment. There are two separate processes and then here in JB Marks Municipality, especially at Ikageng.”
“Ikageng is number one, based on domestic violence and harassment in the whole province and also it is one of the top 30 areas whereby domestic violence and protection of harassment complaints are laid,” said Mpolokeng.
One of the survivors, Kediemetse Yona revealed the trauma she suffered due to gender-based violence and how she had to wait seven years before justice was served. “ I lost everything in my life such as my job and marriage. I was forced to restart my life despite the trauma,” she shared.
Video: Ntsoaki Mokete
“It took seven long years of attending endless court cases and just when I was on the verge of giving up, justice was finally served,”“ It does not change what happened to me but it gives me comfort knowing that the perpetrator will pay for what he has done,” she said, fighting her tears.
Yona says if it was not for the support of her family and the Potchefstroom Thuthuzela Care Centre she would not be the strong survivor that she is today.
The aim of the centre is to assist victims as much as possible without causing them further trauma. Social worker Ntaoleng Monyatsi explained that the center is a “one stop shop” which can assist victims in all areas after reporting a case. “The trauma experienced by each patient is addressed diligently, and we aim to reduce it,” Monyatsi said.
Monyatsi further added that they are experiencing an influx of victims of gender-based violence and are faced with many other challenges as well and are also in need of donations. The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has urged both men and women who are being abused to report cases to the police.
