‘Arise men. Arise and protect the women of this country’
Social activist Yusuf Abramjee and South Africa’s unofficial voice against crime, took to the podium and said, “The 100 Men March is becoming an annual event and today we want to tell the perpetrators, ‘The law is coming for you.’”
Over the past few years, South African men have been in the news for all the wrong reasons. A spate of attacks on women across the country dominated headlines and spawned the #MenAreTrash movement which strongly denounced the wave of femicide in South Africa.
Eldorado Park has had its share of heart-wrenching tales of women abused and murdered at the hands of their partners. Most notably, Loren Dreyer, who was allegedly murdered by boyfriend Oliver Reed on New Year’s Eve three years ago, Adele Fisher-Peters who was felled by a bullet in a botched hijacking last year and four-year-old Shaynice Talla, whose young life was snuffed out after being sexually assaulted by a relative.
These are just a few cases which had the community up in arms over the lack of protection afforded to women by our police and a judicial system which seems to fail them at every turn.
Dereleen James, anti-drug activist and champion of women’s rights attended the 100 Men March which wound its way through the streets of Pretoria yesterday to bring the Eldorado Park struggle to the nation and to stand in solidarity with communities all over who are outraged at the treatment meted out to our women.
James, who is no stranger to squaring off with local police officials, has denounced officers who view domestic disputes as no more than a tiff between partners and echoed minister of police, Bheki Cele, who sent out a call yesterday that all these cases be treated with the seriousness they deserve. Many women who report these cases are turned away by police, often with deadly consequences for the victims.
Social activist Yusuf Abramjee and South Africa’s unofficial voice against crime, took to the podium and said, “The 100 Men March is becoming an annual event and today we want to tell the perpetrators, ‘The law is coming for you.’”
“We are also appealing to our law enforcement agencies; arrest them, charge them, convict them and punish them.”
James has long been vocal about her stance on women’s rights and said, “Arise men. Arise and protect the women of this country.”
It is quite fitting that awareness campaigns such as these shine a light on the plight of women in this country, as we celebrate former president Nelson Mandela’s centenary and remember his words, “Domestic violence, rape, abuse of women remain disgraceful blots on the reputation of a country that is called a miracle nation.”
“I’ve never regarded women as in any way less competent than men.”
