DURBAN - As a 63-year-old grandfather was jailed for life for the rape of his teenage granddaughter, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government is set to launch its 16 Days of Activism for No violence Against Women and Children campaign.
The Empangeni Regional Court has sentenced a 63-year-old man, from Kwambonambi in northern KwaZulu-Natal, to life imprisonment for raping his 15-year-old granddaughter.
KZN National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Kara said: “The girl and her mother lived with their extended family at the man’s homestead. He is the girl’s maternal grandfather. He had raped her four times during the period of 2018 to 2020.
“In aggravation of sentence, the regional court prosecutor, Sharon Bux, presented the court with the victim impact statements compiled by the girl and her mother and facilitated by court preparation officer, Seneliso Sibanda.”
The provincial government said its 16 days campaign will focus on traditional leaders, rural women, senior citizens, traditional healers and sex workers to encourage them to speak-out against gender-based violence and femicide.
Premier Sihle Zikalala will officially launch the provincial government’s campaign and engage with people that are directly affected by gender-based violence.
“The launch will be attended by widows, orphans, the LGBTQ+ Community and families of those who are victims of gender-based violence,” the provincial government said in a statement today.
The theme for this year’s campaign is “The Year of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke – 16 Days of Activism – moving from awareness to accountability”.
THE MERCURY