Mbombela civil society calls for harsher sentence for rapists

Members of the City of Mbombela Aids Council Civil Society Forum marched in the CDB to hand over a memorandum of demands at the Nelspruit Regional Court.

They demanded the court to protect the interest of women and children and called for harsher sentences for perpetrators of gender based violence.

“There should be no bail for rapists, murders and gender based violence perpetrators. They should be given a life sentence behind bars,” said Jameson Makola, the chairperson of the forum.

Read: Mpumalanga takes action against gender-based violence

He added that the forum has noted incidents of gender based violence with concern. “Such have reached unacceptable levels and caused untold harm to victims. As a forum, we intend to put every effort into breaking the silence and ensuring that the voices of women and children are heard,” he said.

The memorandum was received by the area court manager, Nompulelo Ndlovu, who promised to take the matter up to the judicial system and other stakeholders.