DURBAN - POLICE Minister Bheki Cele has urged South African men to take a stand and play their part in ending violence against women and children.
Cele was speaking at the briefing of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster Ministers on Thursday, outlining the state of readiness for the 2021 Festive Season.
“We appeal to the men of our nation to take a stand and play their part in ending violence against women and children. Report all perpetrators of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) to the police without delay,” Cele said.
He added that all law-enforcement agencies would be on high alert to respond swiftly to incidents of GBVF.
The minister noted that during the festive season, police were often inundated with cases of missing children, especially at coastal beaches.
He urged parents not to leave children unattended near swimming pools or beaches.
“Avoid tragedies by being vigilant when at pools, beaches or near water, and ensure that children wear the necessary safety equipment when using swimming pools or beaches,” the minister said.
He added that December saw many people travelling to holiday destinations across the country, which contributed to high traffic volumes on the roads and resulted in the loss of lives from vehicle crashes.
“During this time of the year, the safety of all road users, including pedestrians, becomes our biggest concern.”
He said road traffic officers and other members of law-enforcement would be out in force to ensure compliance with the law and facilitate the smooth flow of traffic.
“We appeal to all motorists to drive safely and courteously to ensure the safety of other road users, including pedestrians. Obey all rules of the road by, among other things, maintaining the legal speed limit, and refraining from drinking and driving or texting while driving,” Cele said.
He urged holidaymakers to avoid driver fatigue and ensure that their vehicles were roadworthy before undertaking long trips.
He also made a plea to people to get vaccinated.
Recently the KZN Liquor Authority (KZNLA) partnered with the SAPS, South African Breweries (SAB) and government institutions to host the 2021 Anti-Gender-Based Violence Campaign/initiative in the Ugu District (Margate).
The aim of the campaigns was to address the implications and effects of alcohol abuse and the link to gender-based violence.
KZNLA Acting CEO Bheki Mbanjwa said: “A call is made to all men to make an individual commitment to advocate against any form of abuse against women and children, and a further call on our licence holders to commit to ensuring that our liquor outlets do not become a breeding ground for abusers.”
The highlight of the campaign was the unveiling of the #NoExcuse mural which was sponsored by SAB, represented by Peter Thembane. The mural aims to promote positive masculinity. It also has WhatsApp numbers where victims of GBV and perpetrators can have a silent conversation with the counsellor.
“We believe that through partnering with government, we can play a pivotal role in supporting efforts to create awareness of GBV throughout the year. We acknowledge that social ills of this magnitude require intensive work to turn around, and the #NoExcuse initiative has covered impressive grounds in the impact it has made in raising awareness of this plight in society,” Thembane said.
Daily News