Rata holds march for 16 Days of Activism and HIV/Aids Day
Various stakeholders and citizens participated.
Rata Social Services, the EMPD, SAPS and ward councillors, held a march on December 1 to commemorate World Aids Day and the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.
Participants marched from the Brakpan Sports Stadium to the Rata offices along Park Street and back.
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The march was led by Thuto Private School’s pathfinder Scouts Club and escorted by EMPD vehicles. Learners played marching beats on drums and showcased military marching skills with salutes and straight lines.
Many people showed up for the march including the MMC for Health and Social Development Jennifer Glover, MMC for Environment and Waste Management Brandon Pretorius (Ward 97 councillor) and PR councillor Riaan van Zyl.
After the march, programmes were handed out along with educational colouring books for children.
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The pathfinders then opened formal proceedings with the national anthem.
Pretorius gave the welcome message of support. “The time for complacency is long gone,” he said.
He reminded the audience that in South Africa, 70% of women and children will face physical or sexual violence in their lifetime and that one in three children is at risk of becoming child brides.
Glover then delivered the address, in which she briefly spoke about how all sectors of society need to ‘connect, collaborate and contract,’ to fight against GBV throughout the year.
She also addressed world Aids Day and told the audience that there are 93 clinics across the City of Ekurhuleni that are specialised in treating and preventing HIV/Aids.
It was at this point that Virgin Active representatives engaged the crowd in a five-minute cardio session to get the blood pumping and brains active.
Rata representative Nomvula Maseko took her turn to speak about the function of social services in family care and child safety.
“Our mission is to bring people from brokenness to wholeness,” she said.
“Violence in the home is the key reason for children getting removed.
Many children coming from abusive homes develop behavioural issues, which makes it difficult to place them in new homes. For this reason, removal is usually a last resort after intervention, education and therapy haven’t worked.”
The EMPD Social Crime Prevention Unit and a SAPS representative briefly talked about what services their departments provide regarding abuse and GBV.
Witpoort Treatment Centre gave a short presentation on recovering from addiction before a poem was read and a recovering addict gave a motivational speech.
Thuli Malatji from the Department of Health gave a talk on mental health before a psychologist gave another motivational talk.
Various other speakers gave short addresses on child abuse and medical forensics, GBV and court procedures, and HIV/AIDS, before the event ended with a note of thanks from Van Zyl.
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