MBOMBELA – The MEC for safety security and community liaison, Mr Vusi Shongwe, has vowed to work together with local churches to fight the scourge of woman and child abuse.
This he said during a silent sitting by all churches against abuse where the members gathered to express their disgust with violence and abuse against women and children.
The silent sitting, which lasted for an hour, was attended by men, women and children with placards displaying messages against gender-based violence.
“As churches, we cannot silently watch women and children suffer but have to stand together and fight this demon that is continuing to traumatise innocent souls,” said Deacon Michelle Ingram.
At the end of the sitting, a memorandum was handed over to Shongwe as a sign of the churches making a commitment to work with government to address issues of abuse and to call on the MEC and his department to implement stricter measures against “these evil deeds”.
“This memorandum that you have just read talks exactly to the mission of the government that we have just outlined as we launched the campaign on the 16 Days of Activism and indeed we can not do it alone. We appreciate your efforts and will work hand in hand with you to observe women and children’s rights for 365 days a year,” Shongwe responded,
adding that he took the churches’ gesture very seriously.
