Potchefstroom residents raise their voices against GBV and femicide
With black clothing symbolising mourning and solidarity, residents gathered at Doubles Corners in Ikageng before making their way to the Potchefstroom Magistrates Court.
“How many more children must die before we say enough is enough?”
That was the painful question hanging in the air on Friday, September 25, as community members gathered in Potchefstroom to raise their voices against gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide.
The peaceful march, organised by Peterson Sebati, founder of Retsa Tsela, followed the tragic death of an eight-year-old and wider concerns surrounding violence against women and children in South Africa.
With black clothing symbolising mourning and solidarity, residents gathered at Doubles Corners in Ikageng before making their way to the Potchefstroom Magistrates Court.
The march was held under the theme, “Potchefstroom, arise and make your voices heard.”
For those who took part, the march was about more than simply walking from one point to another. It was a stand against silence and a call for justice for a young girl whose life was cut tragically short.
“We cannot remain silent while families continue to cry for justice,” was the message behind the call to action.
Participants carried their message through the streets of Potchefstroom, united by grief, anger and a determination to see change.
JannyDjan staff and models also joined the march in support of the cause, standing alongside members of the community in condemning GBV and violence against children.
At the Potchefstroom High Court, a memorandum was handed over, formally placing the community’s concerns and demands on record.
The presence of traffic officials and police ensured that the march proceeded peacefully and that the safety of participants and other road users was maintained.
But beyond the banners, black clothing and chanting was a much deeper message.
Every child deserves to grow up feeling safe.
Every family deserves justice when a loved one is taken from them.
And every community has the right to demand an end to violence that continues to devastate lives.
For many who marched on Friday, the young girl’s name represented more than one tragedy. It represented a child, a family and a life that should have had so many more years ahead.
Potchefstroom walked. Potchefstroom spoke. And, for a few hours, the community refused to be silent.
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