WATCH: Taking a stand against femicide

The streets of Protea Glen came alive this past weekend when residents took a stand against the violence against women which dominated headlines over the past few weeks.

Base 5 Guard, in partnership with residents, the Community Policing Forum (CPF), the South African Police Services (SAPS) and various other organisations hosted a 5km walk to raise awareness to the scourge of killings that have plagued the media lately.

“We are here today on a campaign of women and children abuse. We decided to make it an awareness campaign with regard to the Femicide which has been going on in our communities and this abuse,” said Lucky Mosimane, Base 5 Guard owner.

Armed with nothing but placards, t-shirts and water bottles, participants marched the streets singing struggle songs of the pain women are experiencing on a daily basis, especially now that it been heightened with the recent incidents of the murders of women in Soweto.

Mosimane said, “These killings, together with the abuse that’s happening to our mothers and sisters is happening now. We cannot wait any longer, we need to go out there and reach out and make it a point to people understand that this is affecting us all.

“Not in our name, people mustn’t do this in our name, not all men are the same, some of us have children and our kids are affected by the things happening in society and we are saying that guys we need to stop it, it’s enough.”

The secretary of the CPF of Greater Protea, Trudy Jabavu said, “We are not saying we hate men we are talking to those committing these terrible crimes that they must stop.”

Jabavu stated that as the CPF and as a resident, the campaign will not stop with the walk but they plan on carrying it out until July because it’s Child Protection Week this week and Youth month will also be starting soon.

Councillor George Mahlangu of Ward 13 was there, donning his cycling shorts and on his bike leading the procession together with SAPS.

“We’d like to thank the community and the support with the demonstration together with the stakeholders, this is much appreciated and it’s the struggle towards a crime free society, free from drugs, rape, child abuse, women abuse.

“It as gone a long way because we as a community can’t be standing aside because we as men rape and kill children so it’s upon us to now take a stand and protect this vulnerable community,” said Mahlangu.

From 9 am in the morning till 11 am, traffic came to a standstill and residents who were not part of the walk stood and watched the procession, drivers hooted and pedestrians shouted in support of the initiative.

“We are hoping that this awareness may spread to every area, we are saying this mustn’t stop. It’s important that people realise that taking another person’s life is not right and this is the only way we can get the message to those criminals who are doing this to the community It is everyone’s responsibility to go out there and raise awareness,” said Mosimane.

SAPS communication officer Sergeant Vincent Mashiteng said that the march was a start of many other awareness campaigns and they are hoping this partnership will go a long way and that this community will speak out because it’s difficult for SAPS to speak to what is happening behind closed doors.

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