The regional Secretary for the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU), Mthuthuzeli Somkonko, appealed to the police service to ensure that they follow up in the cases reported about gender-based violence (GBV).
The members of this organisation, together with its allied unions, marched to St Barnabas Hospital in Libode with the aim of sending a message about GBV.
After the march they launched the 16 Days of Activism against Women and Children, also at this hospital.
Somkonko said that this could help the victims to be more interested in reporting these cases, if they see perpetrators are arrested.
He confirmed that the members of this organisation held a congress in Mthatha in May where, among the resolutions they made, was that the issue of 16 Days of Activism against Women and Children must not be a once-off thing, but a continuous programme until this behaviour ends.
He added that as they had started this programme in St Barnabas, they would continue to host it at other branches of King Sabatha Dalindyebo (KSD) Local Municipality.
The Speaker for King Sabatha Dalindyebo (KSD) Local Municipality, Councillor Nomamfengu Siyo-Sokuthu, said community members are the ones who are supposed to stand up and fight the issue of GBV.
She said that street committees and community policing forums should be established within the communities, and also there should be workplace forums in the working areas, who will also play a role in fighting this problem.
“Employers must know that employees should be happy in the work place in order to be productive.
“We must know that GBV is a crime that we need to fight,” said Siyo-Sokuthu.
