10th of December. It may be the last day of the 16 days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence and Femicide, but that by all aspects does not mean the end of the fight for violence against women, children and people living with disability. “This is a fight we should engage in for 365 days.”
KSD Speaker of Council, Cllr. N. Siyo-Sokutu stated at the KSD Women’s Caucus Dialogue held at Presbyterian Church Hall, Ngcwanguba in Mqanduli Ward 25.
The purpose of this gathering was to make a call to unite against Gender Based Violence and Femicide through shared experiences and economic empowerment.
Honourable Member of Parliament Thokozile Sokanyile who is also Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans in Parliament, encouraged family unity. She stated that when families are united, communities are united, encouraging the unity against GBV and F.
Department of Health, Department of Social Development, South African Police Services (SAPS), National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) formed part of this dialogue and offered advice on how each department assists in dealing with GBV. Communities were encouraged to break the chain of silence, not to normalize abuse/abusive behaviour, woman to stand for each other and the importance of naming by name each assailant.
Women’s Caucus Committee is constituted as a Section 79 Committee as per the Local
Government Municipal Structures Act No. 117 of 1998. Further, the Constitution of the
Republic of South Africa is founded on and articulates the values of human dignity, the
achievement of equality, the advancement of human rights and freedom, non- racialism and non-sexism.