MANANA URGES POLICE
OF REFRAIN FROM DECIDING ON CASES OF
ABUSE FOR VICTIMS
Media Statement
10 December 2009
Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security
and Liaison MEC, Ms Sibongile Manana has
called on police officers at police
stations not to discourage victims of
abuse from opening cases.
The Driefontein community told the MEC
that sometimes when they go to police
stations to report cases of abuse,
police officers are encouraging them to
go and resolve these cases at home.
MEC Manana was speaking at the
provincial closing ceremony of the 16
Days of Activism for No Violence Against
Women and Children in Driefontein
outside Piet Retief.
MEC Manana said this had a negative
impact on the success of the campaign
when people do not report cases after
negotiating with the perpetrators.
She said this led to increased
incidences of gender based violence in
the society.
“I am appealing to the police officers
to stop encouraging people to solve
problems at home, especially when the
law is there to protect the victims.
Manana has also called on the community
members not to withdraw cases of abuse
already opened at police stations.
“When people withdraw cases, the state’s
resources are utilised fruitlessly. The
police use the resources such as papers
to record cases, telephones for
investigation, fuel for vehicles and
time to do their work. When cases are
withdrawn, it becomes a fruitless
expenditure,” said MEC Manana.
She said police officers should subject
all cases of abuse to full criminal
justice processes so that government
could win the war against gender based
violence.
The MEC further encouraged communities
to report cases of abuse irrespective of
whether they depended on perpetrators.
She said many people were abused by
people who were supposed to protect
them.
“Many cases of abuse usually occur in
places where women and children think
they are safe. It happens in their homes
which are supposed to be places of
safety. In many instances women and
children who are victims of abuse know
the perpetrator, we urge them to come
and report,” said MEC Manana.
“We have a responsibility to transform
social behaviors towards respect for
women and children. Parents must be real
parents, our children must be raised in
an environment that teaches them respect
for human dignity,” she said.
Speaking at the same event, Mr. Bangizwe
Nkosi of Men for Change challenged men
not to look away but to act against
abuse on women and children.
He said research established that three
out of ten men were abusers of women and
children. His forum was concerned about
the other seven men who are keeping
quiet about incidences of abuse. He said
real men speak out against abuse.
He called on men to change their
behaviour adding that women should be
treated as equal partners. He urged men
to start forums in their localities to
fight against societal ills such as
abuse on women and children.
The 16 Days of Activism Campaign is an
International Campaign for the
elimination of gender based violence.
The campaign runs from 25 November to 10
December every year.
The campaign focuses primarily on
generating an increased awareness of the
negative impact of violence on women and
children.
South Africans have been called to
support the campaign for 365 days a year
by utilizing the white ribbon symbol in
innovative and inventive ways to reflect
solidarity for vulnerable groups in the
society that includes women, children
and those living with disabilities.
Issued by Mpumalanga Department of
Community Safety, Security and Liaison
Enquiries: Joseph Mabuza
013 766 4055/082 678 1450
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