By Staff Reporter
Calls are growing for greater investment in programmes aimed at preventing gender-based violence, as South Africa continues to grapple with killings and attacks against women.
This comes after the discovery of the bodies of nine women in the Ekurhuleni area, including Kempton Park, over the past two months. Police are investigating the deaths and have not yet confirmed whether all the cases are linked.
The latest developments have renewed concerns about the safety of women and the country’s ongoing struggle with gender-based violence and femicide.
Speaking during a protest against violence against women and children, Jane Abrahams from Cape Costume Hire said the nine women killed in Gauteng are not the only victims of GBV.
She said many other women continue to lose their lives at the hands of perpetrators, adding that communities need to stand together and speak out against violence.
“We feel that we must stand up and protest against this. We must make our voices heard because we are not happy, we are not content and we do not feel safe,” she said.
Her comments come as concerns over violence against women are also being raised in the Western Cape.
In Khayelitsha, a 43-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair was allegedly raped at her home in Harare. Four men, aged between 19 and 21, were arrested and appeared in the Khayelitsha Magistrates’ Court on rape charges.
The case has further highlighted concerns about the safety of vulnerable women and the need for communities to address violence before it occurs.
Abrahams said the government should put more funding into programmes targeting men, women and families, particularly programmes that address the social problems that can contribute to violence.
She said overcrowded households, children being out of school, gangsterism and drug abuse are among the challenges that need to be addressed.
“I would like the government to spend more money on programmes aimed at preventing gender-based violence before it happens,” she said.
She has also urged women to speak out against violence.
“I want every woman who has a voice to stand up and say enough is enough. We cannot continue to remain silent while women are being killed and children are being abused,” she said.
Photo: VOCfm
