Vryheiders join #TotalShutdown march
Lettah from Vryheid was one of the many women that gathered in Newcastle to say ‘enough is enough’.
AN AVERAGE of 360 incidences of physical and sexual abuse against women takes place in South Africa daily.
This is according to stats released by People Opposing Women’s Abuse (POWA), these stats were just some of the inspiration behind the national #TotalShutdown marches that took place countrywide last week.
Women from all around South Africa gathered in different parts of the country and marched against the growing pandemic, among these was Vryheider, Lettah Nene.
Lettah was one of the many women that gathered in Newcastle to say ‘enough is enough’.
“I was inspired to be a part of this march by the stories I see daily in the news of how women are killed by their partners in this country. Cases such as that of Reeva Steenkamp and many others,” said Ms Nene.
Although she has not personally been affected by the violence, Ms Nene said that it was important for women to stand together to fight this ongoing issue.
“As women, we cannot remain silent as the government and law seem to be lenient on culprits, hence the issue rages on,” she said.
Women from all around Northern KZN rode out to Newcastle where they marched from Phelandaba Sports ground to Madadeni Police Station to hand over a memorandum of their grievances to the police.
“I would like to believe that the march had an impact. What’s left now is for the South African government to implement that which they promised,” she said in conclusion.
Although there were some men who wanted to be a part of the marches, the #TotalShutdown marches were strictly for women and were also in commemoration of the beginning of Women’s Month.
The slogan ‘My body-not your crime scene’, was one of the many on the placards that were carried by women in protest, others that stood out were ‘My little girl is not your wife’ and ‘Only hearts are made to ‘beat’’.
Having started the movement, women in South Africa hope to see more attention being paid to the growing statistics of women being killed by men they love and trust on a daily basis across the country.
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