CAPE TOWN – A Kraaifontein cleric and community activist has used a national platform to launch a campaign demanding that every woman who leaves home must be able to return safely, as South Africa grapples with a growing crisis of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

Heading the TWM Foundation, reverend Dr Tanelle Welff-Dixon, representing Christian women within the African Religious and Traditional Leaders Council (ARTLC), introduced the “She must come home” national campaign at the Religious Freedom Imbizo recently held at the Castle of Good Hope.

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The campaign’s message is simple. Every woman who leaves home for work, school, family visits, or simply to walk in her community, must be able to come home safely.

“It calls on communities, churches, women’s organisations, civil-society organisations, government, law-enforcement agencies, men, boys and ordinary citizens to take responsibility for creating safer communities and to stop accepting violence against women as inevitable,” Welf-Dixon explained.

Support for accountability and justice

Welff-Dixon spoke about the recent killings of women in the greater Ekurhuleni area, describing these tragic deaths as another reminder of the seriousness of GBVF in South Africa.

She called for a moment of silence as a mark of respect for the victims, saying, “When women leave their homes, their churches, and their workplaces, they should be able to return safely. When we see the empty pair of shoes, let it be a solemn reminder of those who did not make it home.”

The ARTLC is calling on government, churches, civil society, political leaders and communities to work together to protect women, children and people with disabilities. Faith leaders from across South Africa attended the gathering, together with members of Parliament, representatives of political parties, national religious leaders, clerics, civil-society organisations and other stakeholders.

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Among those present were Dr Zweli Mkhize, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA); Rev. Kenneth Meshoe, leader of the ACDP; Andrew Bateman (MP) of the DA; Michael Swain of Freedom of Religion South Africa; Philip Rosenthal of the Christian Views Network; and Bishop Thom Thamaga of The CRL Matter.

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The Imbizo provided an opportunity for religious leaders and other stakeholders to engage with Dr Mkhize regarding the Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights Commission and its Section 22 committee, including concerns around religious freedom, accountability and the relationship between the State and religious communities.

Welff-Dixon told the gathering that Christians support accountability and justice, particularly where people are abused or harmed, but that this must not mean the church itself is placed under outside control.

We support accountability. We support justice. We support the protection of women and children. At the same time, we strongly uphold the constitutional right to freedom of religion.

“We, as people of faith and conscience, affirm our unwavering commitment. We support accountability. We support justice. We support the protection of women and children. At the same time, we strongly uphold the constitutional right to freedom of religion,” she said.

She made it clear that if a pastor, church leader or any other individual commits a crime or abuses another person, that person must be held accountable. At the same time, she said churches must be allowed to manage their own spiritual affairs and bemoaned the moral decay in society.

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Welff-Dixon said Christian women want churches to be places where women experiencing abuse can find help. She called for Christian leaders to speak strongly against domestic violence, GBVF and the abuse of children, and made a partnership pledge on behalf of Christian women, saying the Church is prepared to work with government, not against it, to fight violence and crime.