By Mbali Tanana
A high rate of rape and gender-based violence in Joza township in Makhanda has sparked a much-needed intervention by the South African Police Service in partnership with various stakeholders who rolled out their Lithetha Awareness Campaign this week.
The two-day campaign which started on 14 August saw police top brass of the Sarah Baartman District visit more than 20 households and families affected by gender-based violence in the community. The door-to door campaign was because of a recent police report which identified Joza police station, one of 38 police stations in the district as the one with the most rape and gender-based cases reported.
Joza Police Station Commander, Colonel Nomsa Mtshagi, said the report revealed that while the police station had the highest rape and gender-based violence cases, it also highlighted the increasing number of abuse among children and women.
“We are on a serious drive to root out gender-based violence from our communities. The recent statistics are a scary indication that we need to collaborate with various stakeholders to combat this plight,” she said. Community Policing Forum (CPF) Public Relations Officer, Linda Ntlanjeni, said it was painful to be in a community with the highest rate of crime, yet still not enough people from the community were active members of the CPF.
“Our mandate is to protect our communities, especially women and children. We want our children to play safely and to minimize crime, but we cannot do it alone. We need more eyes and ears on the ground. Helping sometimes just by reporting anything mischievous you see, and not just turning a blind eye. Enough is enough, we need to take a stand collectively and do our part where we are,” said Ntlanjeni.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) official Rowlen Mkwana encouraged victims to report cases instantly.
“If there is an incident, do not delay reporting it. When you are offended, act on it swiftly so we can also react swiftly. Also in your statement, do not be generic, be explicit if you must, detail everything as it unfolded or as it was said in the correct sequence of events because sometimes that is the reason some cases delay because statements are generic and unclear, giving no specific detail which sometimes leads to now leads,” he said.
Unemployed mother of three children, Ntombethemba Vumendlini, 31, said while she was not a victim of gender-based violence, she is aware of how rife it is within her community. “Most of the things being spoken about here today we know. We might not have experienced them first hand, but we know of them and we have seen people within our families or community experience them.”
“I am so grateful for the people who have come to talk to us and to pray for us. Now we know of the shelters offered by social development and the women’s clinic where we can run to when we are raped. What I also appreciated was the education of the protection order, how it needs to be updated regularly,” said Vumendlini.
