Public Protector and Gender Commission
call on the nation to jointly act against women and children
abuse
Friday, 25 November 2011
Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela has called on the
community of Thembalethu and the people of this country to
come together and act against women and children abuse.
Speaking at the annual commemoration of 16 Days of Activism
against gender-related violence in George, on Friday, the
Public Protector said the problem was international and
needed a collaborative solution.
This year’s campaign is celebrated under the theme: “From
peace in the home, to peace in the world: Proliferation of
small arms and their role in domestic violence.”
The Public Protector referred to gender based violence as a
challenge that needs all South Africans to play their part
in efforts to eradicate this scourge.
She also highlighted that maladministration and corruption
which result in people not getting services and employment
opportunities they ought to get from state also contribute
to abuse in many households.
Speaking at the same event, Acting chairperson of the
Commission on Gender Equality Mfanozelwe Shozi echoed the
Public Protector’s sentiments and called on members of the
South African Police Service (SAPS) to treat gender-related
cases with the sensitivity they deserve.
He further called on the society to change attitude on how
they look at abuse and urged the communities to report such
as at times dehumanize people and make them less of
citizenry.
The chairperson also urged the SAPS to be in touch with
victims and update them regularly on the status of their
cases.
The event marked the beginning of the internationally
celebrated campaign which runs until 10 December, however,
the Public Protector and the Gender Commission urged the
people to take children and women’s abuse as a whole
campaign not a once off activity.
The community of Thembalethu also used the opportunity to
raise their problems with the Public Protector. Among the
issues raised were allegations of unlawful allocation of RDP
houses, corruption and poor service delivery by the
municipality relating to water, electricity and sanitation,
procurement irregularities, undue delay of pension pay out,
lack of transformation at George Hospital, unfair labour
practices, delays in the issuing of identity documents and
discourteous conduct by public officials.
The Public Protector promised the communities that her
office will look into their complaints and the Gender
Commission called upon communities to report issues of abuse
to their Provincial Offices for assistance.
For more information, contact:
Kgalalelo Masibi
Spokesperson for: CGE
Tel: (012) 366 7006
Cell: 079 507 0399
Email:
kgalalelom@pprotect.org
www.cge.org.za
or
Javu Baloyi
Spokesperson for: Public Protector
Tel: (011) 403 7182
Cell: 083 579 3306
E-mail: javu@cge.org.za
www.publicprotector.org
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