Durban - The plan unveiled by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube to combat gender-based violence has received a mixed reaction from organisations fighting the scourge.
The premier was speaking at the launch of the 16 Days for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign in Umlazi last week.
Dube-Ncube said in KZN the 16 Days campaign formed the centre of the government’s comprehensive 365 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. “Our position is clear, no woman should be killed just because she is arguing with her partner or has decided she wants to leave the marriage or relationship. That women and girls are still seen as objects to be violated by some men is the reason the word has this focus today.”
Dube-Ncube said that as part of the KZN Anti-Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Plan, “we call for more dialogues on moral regeneration and social cohesion”.
“We need to get all sectors of KwaZulu-Natal talking about GBV and femicide. All sectors must take part in dialogue to find solutions and be part of a new generation of men and women who can live together in peace and harmony.”
She called on the inter-faith community to continue to play their role to preach morality and the importance of good citizenship.
Javu Baloyi, spokesperson for the Commission for Gender Equality, said the unveiling of the KZN Anti-Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Plan by the premier was a step in the right direction.
“As the Commission for Gender Equality, we believe the government can do so much so that we curb the spread of gender-based violence,” Baloyi said.
“We need a greater involvement of the judiciary, the police and communities. Even parents need to play their part. This is not a government problem, this is a societal problem. We believe as a collective, NGOs and civil societies can do more so that we support the initiatives by the government. However, those responsible for gender-based violence need to be held accountable for their actions. The numbers coming from Police Minister Bheki Cele are very worrying and more needs to be done so that the scourge of violence is curbed and our women and children feel safe,” Baloyi said.
Thandiwe McCloy, communications manager at People Opposing Women Abuse, said while the plan was welcomed, the government needed to do more.
“The criminal justice system needs to be improved to send out a strong message to would-be perpetrators that they will be punished for their crimes. The government needs to ensure that members of the criminal justice system who don’t perform their jobs properly face consequences,” McCloy said.