City women march against violence

WOMEN from across the region on Friday showed a united front in condemning the ongoing violent attacks on women and children in a march led by the ANC Women’s League in the Musa Dladla region.

More than 100 women participated in the march from the ZCBF Community Park to the Richards Bay Magistrate’s Court to highlight the problem.

A memorandum handed to Richards Bay Magistrate’s Court representatives, Magistrate Vincent Hlatshwayo and Senior Public Prosecutor Mbali Mcambi, among other things, called for life sentences without parole for perpetrators and for government departments to implement awareness programmes in society, schools and tertiary institutions.

Women’s league representative Babhekile Mthembu called on society and law enforcement agencies to stop the dismissive attitude towards the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

‘Lesbians and transgender women must be treated equally and those that discriminate against them and those that impose themselves on them through ‘corrective’ rape must be met with the full might of the law.

‘Women with disabilities and senior citizens have rights too. The abuse they face in homes and in government institutions must stop,’ said Mthembu.

Magistrate Hlatshwayo acknowledged the efforts undertaken by the women’s league and said sexual offences and the killings of women and children will be prioritised.

Mcambi requested the women to go into their communities and encourage victims of crime to report all cases and refrain from withdrawing cases before they are finalised.

‘Those that know about cases of abuse must report them to the police,’ she said.

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