Gauteng SAPS pledge to protect vulnerable groups

Gauteng police pledge to protect the rights of all citizens, to play a role in ending GBV and to ensure a safer community for women and children and also the lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, queer and intersex (LBBTQI+) community.

A Human Rights celebration event was held by SAPS under the theme LGBTQI+ at Sam Ntuli Stadium Hall, Thokoza, on April 1.

The event aimed to celebrate human rights with the inclusion of the LBBTQI+ community, who have been identified as the most vulnerable group in society.

Some of the prominent SAPS officials present include the Ekurhuleni District Commissioner Maj-Gen Anna Sithole who was the keynote speaker, as well as the national chairperson of Men for Change Lt-Col Jika, Ekuruleni District Women’s Network champion Nkensani Lemba, Brig Albertina Vesi, Brig Gubeshe and Brig Lenah Thethe among others.

LGBTQ+ members Bianca and Thembisa, who are also police officers, shared discrimination challenges they encountered in their environment.

In her keynote address, Sithole acknowledged Brig Gabushe, who openly shared her gender sexuality citing that she is gay.

Sithole called on all police officers who are still hiding their sexuality to come out of the closet.

She said the human rights provided by the Constitution of SA apply to all human beings, be it men, women and children of the LGBTQI+ community.

“We should all live in peace and harmony despite our differences,” said Sithole.

Sithole spoke on human rights, outlining some of the priority ones.

“The first one is the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, the right to work and education and the key is that everyone is entitled to these rights without discrimination,” she explained.

“Today we are here to reaffirm as the Ekuruleni District Women’s Network and Men for Change that human rights are rights a person has simply because he or she is a human being. These rights regard all persons equal, universally and forever,” she continued.

“However, we still have human beings among us that continue to violate such rights by discriminating against these members and communities because of their sexuality and this causes hurt, loss of confidence, self-esteem, humiliation, stress, anger, aggression, depression and self-harm.

“Such animosity may lead to some committing suicide because they feel unwanted.”

While referencing challenges expressed by the LGBTQI+, Sithole called out police officers for disregarding the community and mocking them when they report cases.

She said police need to be very sensitive when dealing with such cases. She cautioned police from detaining the LGBTQI+ community in the same cell as other genders, citing that they are being abused.

“I want to urge detectives not to take such cases lightly. Let us stop being judges as law enforcers.

“Ours is to open a case and investigate it appropriately. Therefore, I want to urge that we change our attitude towards them. I want us to remember the objective of nation-building and giving back to the community,” said Sithole.

She encouraged police to uphold human rights in the workplace and to treat clients with respect and dignity.

The event was initially set for March 25, before it was postponed to April. It was attended by police officers from various Gauteng districts, including Ekurhuleni, Sedibeng, West Rand, Johannesburg, Emfuleni, and Tshwane.
Jika said as men for change they have the responsibility to protect the rights of everyone.

“We all know our rights but the problem is that we tend to turn a blind eye and seem not to care.

“What we want to see as Men for Change is to activate that sense of accountability. If you see someone abuse another person then take responsibility to make that person accountable.”

Skeem GP donated food parcels to CPF patrollers who volunteered and risk their lives to protect the community.

The event concluded with the officers making a national pledge to end GBV. They called on all South African men to pledge to end GBV and femicide.