The Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality (CALM), in collaboration with the Department of Social Development, participated in a Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) awareness campaign and prayer event in Glenmore on March 11.
The most recent incidences of GBVF across the municipality include a woman killed by her boyfriend in Nhlazatshe, a minor raped by a 25-year-old man and the rape and brutal murder of an elderly woman in her house in Elukwatini.
Awareness campaigns to address and eradicate GBVF within the community include educating residents on appropriate actions and support structures available for victims.
The event, organized by the Department of Social Development and the GBVF Forum, also included prayers for the Easter holidays, a period often marked by increased road accidents.
The prayer gathering took place at the T-junction of Dundonald and Glenmore. Pastors led prayers and traditional healers burned incense to cast out negative spirits linked to accidents and GBVF. Afterwards, participants embarked on a walk to Glenmore Community Hall. At the hall, various government departments and community leaders delivered messages of support, emphasizing the importance of collective action in combating GBVF.
The discussions also focused on societal behaviours contributing to GBVF and strategies for prevention.
The Acting Executive Mayor and MMC for Special Programmes, Cllr Jabu Mathebula, reaffirmed the municipality’s commitmentin fighting GBVF. He announced several planned initiatives to address this issue and urged community members to remain steadfast in seeking justice. “As a municipality we discourage the withdrawal of cases by victims of GBVF. Perseverance throughout legal proceedings is crucial in the fight against GBVF.
Victims need to use all available platforms to report any form of abuse. Members of the community also need to play their role in reporting such incidents. Most importantly, they need to stand together and fight GBVF,” he said.
The event marked a significant step in reinforcing awareness and action against GBVF in the CALM. The collaborative effort of government agencies, religious leaders and community members demonstrated a united front against this growing societal issue.
