Snl24 | Residents learn about GBV protection laws
Residents attending a programme at Moshate in Majaneng. Photo by Thokozile Mguni
AS Women’s Month ends, the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) in Gauteng hosted a public education and information programme to enlighten the community about laws that protect them against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).
The public education session, held at Moshate Homestead in Majaneng, Hammanskraal in Tshwane on Thursday, 29 August, also aimed to monitor community awareness on key issues affecting them.
Addressing the residents, Koketso Sekhu from the commission in Gauteng said they saw a need to host a public education and information programme so that communities can be made aware of the laws that protect them from any form of abuse.
She said the complex nature of GBVF requires interventions at every level of society as it’s deeply rooted in social, economic, and cultural factors.
“We came with multi-sectoral stakeholders to speak on GBV and importantly unpack the newly reviewed laws that are linked to GBVF.
“We also wanted to address a variety of challenges that citizens might be faced with to ensure that people are protected against this scourge of GBV,” she said.
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Sekhu further said the commission’s empowered to oversee and monitor government departments and the private sector to make sure they respond, protect, and promote the national strategic plan to end GBV.
She said the CGE will advance, promote, and protect gender equality in South Africa through undertaking research, public education, policy development, legislative initiatives, effective monitoring, and litigation.
One of the invited speakers, Advocate Ronald Ngoako, shared insights on the Bill of Rights. He said everyone’s rights are enshrined in this Bill. He further said GBV’s a serious concern and that communities should know which laws are protecting them.
Ngoako gave an example of those who normally stalk their partners, saying this kind of act’s covered by the Harassment Act.
“There’s also an Older Persons Act which protects our elders from being abused in any form. For example, when your children take your pension money, you should be able to go to the police station to open a case,” he said.
Ngoako said a common challenge they faced were complainants later opting to cancel their cases.
One of the attendees, Annah Tsele, said domestic violence’s rife in all provinces.
She said the session was informative and that from now onwards, people will know how to go about reporting crime. She said residents were also encouraged to report crime happening around them, including those affecting their neighbours.
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