Mpumalanga ANC Women’s League calls for harsher sentences against GBV perpetrators
Mpumalanga has seen a hike in the number of gender-based violence cases over the past two years, with children and women on the receiving end
The Mpumalanga ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) has raised its concern over the perpetual violence against women and children in the province.
This comes shortly after the recent killing of Bontle Mashiyane, who went missing a month ago. Her body was discovered mutilated on Saturday May 21.
The ANCWL Provincial Task Team’s spokesperson, Thandi Shongwe, called on the courts in the country to impose harsher punishment on all GBV perpetrators.
“It is with great sadness that women and children are still facing the harsh realities of gender-based violence and femicide. We call upon our civil society to declare war against all perpetrators of violence and abuse. We call upon the courts to apply an iron fist against all GBV/femicide perpetrators,” said Shongwe.
“The ANCWL has learned with great sadness about the passing of six-year-old Bontle Mashiyane from Mganduzweni, who has been missing for a month. Our members and structures have been on the ground assisting the family in a quest to find the young girl ever since she was declared missing. After searching and hoping to find her alive, Bontle was sadly found dead. We bow our heads in shame after hearing that one of the suspects in the case is a woman. We equally call our law enforcement to do its best in convicting and giving the harshest sentences.”
She labelled the female suspect involved in this case a disgrace to all women.
“We expect all women to be at the centre of protecting our children and women. We have also learned that the perpetrators in Bontle’s case have since confessed to have also killed five other children.
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“These people in the main do not deserve to be in our communities. They are heartless and their acts amount to being devilish. Our movement believes strongly that children are the future of this country,” said Shongwe.
