Central residents want to put an end to GBV

National outrage over the alleged rape of the seven-year-old girl from the Eastern Cape known as Cwecwe has recently spilt over into Tshwane as numerous protests calling for GBV reforms have been staged in the young girl’s honour.

The viral hashtag, #JusticeforCwecwe can be found on numerous social media platforms and placards demanding swifter action into the case among other GBV reforms during protests across the country.

The shocking case has compelled locals to demonstrate their frustration over GBV being a reoccurring issue with cases becoming more gruesome each time.

Two separate protests have been directed toward the Sunnyside and Pretoria Central police stations in recent days as locals call on authorities to do more.

On April 4, Unisa students led by the National Student Representative Council (NSRC) staged a peaceful march to the Sunnyside Police Station to hand over a memorandum.

They called upon the university to join the South African public, women, and children in particular, in the fight against GBV.

The university’s management, represented by the Acting Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Solomon Magano, received the memorandum from the NSRC and said it will be processing the issues contained therein through the normal decision-making structures of Unisa.

“The university is encouraged by the courageous leadership and attentiveness of its student leadership to social challenges facing not only the students of Unisa but, society as a whole. We appreciate and support this initiative by the NSRC. The management will study the memorandum and respond officially in the next few days,” Magano said.

Unisa said it wishes to reiterate its well-known position against GBV and that through teaching, learning, research and engaged scholarship work, the university can help in the fight against the scourge.

The university also said that the recent case of little Cwecwe is a reminder that “we must all do more to end violence against women and children in our society”.

On April 8, another group of protesters staged a march to Pretoria Central Police Station in support of the same cause.

The march was co-ordinated by #JusticeforSA and in the memorandum it called for the addressing of systematic failures that have led to GBV plaguing communities.

Other demands included:

– Improved support systems (social workers, safe house, mental health assistance and more).

– Stronger punishment for cases of police negligence.

– Release of the identities of offenders in the National Registry for Sex Offenders.

– Mandatory sensitivity training for all officers.

– Regular public case updates on ongoing GBV cases.

– CPFs to include women and GBV survivors.

– A review of the GBV hotline.

– An independent and thorough reinvestigation of the Cwecwe case.

In the memorandum, the organisation said that should their demands not be responded to or acted upon in 14 days, additional intensified protests will follow and collaborations with civic organisations and other stakeholders are on the cards as well.

“We will not be silenced or ignored! We demand justice, accountability, and action from SAPS. We will mobilise, protest, and advocate for the rights of GBV survivors and victims until our demands are met, and we will not rest until SAPS is held accountable for their failures,” the memorandum read.

The station commander of Pretoria Central SAPS, Brigadier Hlengane Gibin Mashaba received the memorandum on behalf of the police.

Mashaba said he would escalate the message to his superiors and hand the memorandum to the office of the National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola.

All the relevant law enforcement agencies were present, no injuries were reported, and the protesters departed peacefully.

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