Today, the Executive Mayor of Rustenburg – Councillor Mpho Khunou who was the main speaker at a ceremony organized by mining company – Anglo American Platinum to highlight incidents of Gender Based-Violence (GBV) as part of women’s month, said the time for talking was long over. The comments of the Mayor, come after an incident where a 10-year-old girl, was reported to have been raped yesterday.
The Rustenburg Local Municipality was represented at the event, by among other high ranking political heads including Council Speaker – Councillor Sheila Mabale-Huma and Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Public Safety, Councillor Victoria Makhaula. Mayor Khunou said, for a long time, people take a stand against incidents of gender-based violence, however, little had been done in the past to deal with this societal problem.
Mayor Khunou further said, much as the country is battling Covid-19 South Africa had long had a pandemic in the form of GBV “the truth is our mothers, sisters and children have long been in the battle, what has been worryingly absent is us, men. We need to rally behind any campaign that seeks to reverse the negative effects of GBV, lest we become a society with no women in it. It cannot be that we wait for August or 16-days of activism against women and children abuse, to speak out as men” he emphasized.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Job Shimankana Tabane Mr. Abednego Mvula, said women continue to account for most cases of persons suffering from mental and psychological conditions emanating from incidents of gender-based violence as well as work-place bullying by their male counter parts. He said, it is regrettable that such incidents happen however, they will not relent to ensure that women are treated with the necessary respect “Executive Mayor I have said, that women must come out and we must offer them support, to ensure that our reaction and behavior does not discourage them to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book. He concluded.
The department of Social Development, said it was humbled by the gesture made by Anglo American Platinum towards the NGO’s (Phokeng Trauma Centre, Thuthuzela, House of Grace and Kitso ke Lesedi) by making donations of perishable and non-perishable goods inclusive of blankets and Covid-19 PPE that will ensure that, the work continues uninterrupted and that victims receive the help they need. The NGO’s which have been identified and have also begun to receive both financial and non-financial support from the department to fulfil their mandates.
Mrs. Tumelo Dilotsotlhe of Anglo American Platinum, said the event was part of the company’s community response plan to address issues of socioeconomic conditions, which fit in with the number of priority areas the company is focusing on through collaborations.
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