THE community of Stinkwater in Hammanskraal, Tshwane, protested against gender-based violence (GBV) on Monday, 12 December.
They walked from Mashigo Garage Crossing to Vukani Youth Centre.
Paul Phalane (56) of Hunger XSA, who organised the protest, said there were a lot of gender-based violence cases in the area which were not being addressed.
He said the protest was a way to raise awareness in the community.
Phalane said GBV victims were part of the protest to prove that such was happening.
“I am a man and a father. I have children and this is important to the community as well,” he said.
He said they decided to protest along Molefe Makinta Road because a lot of people use the road.
“This visibility is very important. This is the festive season and there is more gender-based violence that happens, actually, every day. We must talk about gender-based violence because it affects all of us, but mostly women and children,” he said.
Phalane said GBV has become a pandemic.
Siphokazi Mali, a GBV activist, said enough is enough.
“We are tired of rape cases. I grew up in a family where my father abused my mother physical and emotionally,” she said.
The 40-year-old mother of a rape victim said her daughter was raped in the area in 2017 at the age of 13.
“What happened to my daughter is evil and justice is failing us to this day,” she said.
She said she is not happy with how the case is being handled.
“We are not okay. We need the man to rot in jail,” she said.
Annah Maluleka from Winners Chapel said people don’t love God anymore.
“We are praying to God to intervene and stop gender-based violence,” she said.
