Msukaligwa men march against woman and child abuse

Men of Msukaligwa Local Municipality took to the streets last Thursday, marching against the abuse and killing of women, children, people with disabilities and the elderly.

The march comes after the recent spate of violent attacks on women and children which impelled the Department of Social Development to organise a peaceful march where men in particular were mobilised to take the lead to denounce this violence and reclaim their responsibilities in their families and society at large.

“As the country reels from horrific reports of violence perpetrated against women and children, men need to break their silence on the scourge of gender-based violence,” said convener of the march, Ms N. Sindani.

Violence against women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities in South Africa is among the highest in the world and statistics reveal that in the murders or violent crimes recently reported, women were more often than not killed by people supposed to protect and honour them.

The march was aligned to the celebration of the Child Protection Week and people came in numbers to support the various men’s groups who led from the front, walking hand in hand from the Mpumalanga Stadium in Wesselton to Gert Sibande District Municipality (GSDM) to hand over a memorandum of demands to Executive Mayor, Mr Musi Chirwa.

The list of demands includes a call to most government entities with the Department of Justice to be firm in imposing sentences for gender-based violence and not to grant bail to perpetrators.

They pleaded with the municipality to repair streets lights as well as high mast lights.

Mr Chirwa and Msukaligwa Municipality Executive Mayor, Mr S.M. Nkosi, received the memorandum, saying they would respond in the given 21 days.

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