Community fights gender-based violence

Gideon Rambuwani Primary School in partnership with the Mfudumalo Foundation held their seventh annual indaba followed by a march around Klipfontein to speak against gender-based violence.

The march began on Allandale Road on 12 October and was attended by learners from the school, Rabie Ridge Police Station officers, Ward 32 councillor Bongani Nkomo, and members from various political parties.

Makgomo Semenya said that their endeavour to raise awareness about social ills was not only about the school, therefore the school could not do it alone because it is a national issue.

“The purpose of the indaba and the march was to discuss social ills such as rape, drugs, parenting skills, gender-based violence and anything that affects our nation, particularly our girls. So we felt that, as adults, we should spend five to six hours discussing these problems to raise awareness.”

Semenya said in order to help stop gender-based violence, everybody – including organisations like the Mfudumalo Foundation – need to get involved. “We saw it fit for Mfudumalo to step in because our youth have brilliant ideas that are why we have them on board.”

Semenya added that parents must stop the silence and take it upon themselves to protect their children. He explained that they should realise that if children who are victims don’t receive counselling, they could grow up to be very angry – some resort to suicide and some use drugs to ease the pain and parents are not aware that their children don’t lead normal lives because of the trauma.

Chairperson of the Mfudumalo Foundation, Nichola Ntsentshe added that he grew up in Klipfontein, and out of that environment he was able to make it as a professional football player. “Yet when I came back after retiring, I realised that besides me no other child could break into professional football. That is when I decided to form the NPO to assist the community and fight violence, thus helping the kids realise their potential,” he said.

“Today we want to raise an awareness and say it is enough and people must get out their houses, because what is most important is to find out what happened, what our problem as society is, and once we discover our problems we are faced with, then we can match the problem and solve them.”

Ntshentse added that they also have to create an environment which will allow those who fear speaking out, to come out. “We will create safer spaces where someone can tap into that space and their secret is safe.”

Related Article: 

https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/223190/south-africas-shocking-gender-based-violence-statistics/