By Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Femicide in the country have become concerningly prevalent, and the City of Roses is not spared from this catastrophe. The Council Speaker in Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (MMM) Cllr Lawrence Mathae calls on men to speak out against GBV.
Joined by churches, civil society groups and the African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) in the region amongst others, Mathae led a march against GBV from the City centre, Hoffman Square in Bloemfontein to the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 15 August 2024, where a case of two women who fell to their demise from their partner’s hands was taking place.
Mathae left his Council thrown and took to the streets to register his stand against the scourge of GBV and Femicide and thus creating a platform for men to speak in one voice and say No to GBV and find ways of becoming better men in society and protect women and children.
“The Office of the Speaker in Mangaung is leading a moral regeneration movement; there have been gruesome acts of violence against women and children in the recent past. We want to speak in one voice in partnership with stakeholders such Buang Banna, Buang Basadi, Majita Saturday, Femsa and the SAPS and we are saying ‘not in my name’,” said the Council Speaker Lawrence Mathae.
The march ended at the Magistrate’s Court where the case of Bongiwe Jamangile and Mpho Moalosi who were also killed by their partners was taking place. The march also served to show support for the two affected families.
Mathae further called on members of society to take a stand against the killing of women and children in their communities. Men are also called on to use avenues at their disposal in dealing and handle issues of GBV and Femicide, to become protectors rather than perpetrators.
