City intensifies war against gender-based violence
One of the key demands included in the memorandum is that the justice system must categorise gender-based violence cases as a serious offence.
THE City has committed itself to ensuring the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) is intensified. eThekwini Municipality mayor Zandile Gumede said the plan was to discuss new ways to eradicate GBV in communities around.
Two weeks ago about 10 0000 women from various parts of the City took to the streets in a bid to raise awareness about the scourge of gender-based violence.
The peaceful march, organised nationally by the #TheTotalShutdown Movement was attended by numerous women structures and prominent female political leaders including Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa as well as Mayor Gumede.
Read here: WATCH: #TotalShutdown calls for end to gender violence
“We will be meeting as the Department to see how best we can intensify or establish gender-based violence programmes at schools to assist the victims,” said Gumede.
The march started at Curries Fountain Stadium and ended at Durban City Hall, where a memorandum of demands was submitted to government officials.
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Accepting the memorandum on behalf of KwaZulu-Natal Premier Willies Mchunu was Provincial Education MEC, Mthandeni Dlungwana who said: “We fully support this initiative because we, as the provincial government are also against gender-based violence.”
One of the key demands included in the memorandum is that the justice system must categorise gender-based violence cases as a serious offence, instead of classifying them as ‘common assault’ which reduces the severity of the matter. The memorandum also stipulated that South African Police Service must be adequately resourced to deal with these cases.
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