DURBAN - POLICE Minister Bheki Cele has appealed to families not to protect perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV) by turning the crime into “a family matter”.
The minister was speaking after leading a march against GBV in uMlazi on Monday.
Cele said abusers were often granted bail easily and went back to communities and again raped women, adding that last week he was shocked to learn that a suspect had been charged with 16 rape cases. He questioned how a court could have granted bail to the suspect so many times.
Monday’s walk was organised by the organisation #ActNow, which was established to fight GBV. The walk started at the uMlazi police station and ended at Max’s Lifestyle Entertainment Lounge, and included members of the National Liquor Traders’ Association, the KwaZulu-Natal Liquor Authority and staff of Distell.
Cele urged families not to protect perpetrators, adding that many rape cases were found to have taken place at the victims’ homes, where family members were allegedly involved, but families would often cover up for them, saying it was a family matter.
The minister commended liquor traders for taking part in the campaign against GBV because statistics revealed that many women were raped on their way home from taverns, adding that it was alarming that 31% of the country’s population consumed alcohol, putting South Africa at number six in the world.
He said uMlazi currently experienced the highest number of woman abuse cases, followed by Inanda, Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape and Thohoyandou in Limpopo.
Lucky Mtimane, who represented the National Liquor Traders’ Association, said his association had issued a directive to its members not to sell alcohol to those who abuse women and children, adding that tavern owners knew those who abused women in their areas. They had identified 100 taverns in the country and would teach their members how to fight against GBV, he said.
Professor Bonke Dumisa, deputy chairperson of the KZN Liquor Authority, said his board, which was responsible for issuing liquor licences, was concerned that the province had recorded the highest number of GBV cases, and vowed to help police in their fight against the scourge.
SA National Taxi Council regional secretary Mandla Malishe pledged his council’s support for the campaign, saying that taxi ranks were known for their “no-nonsense approach against any crime”. However, he said women were now even being abused at taxi ranks.
Daily News