Spur incident and the taxi rape cases bring another spotlight to issues of power relations and Gender Based Violence
The Commission for Gender (CGE) has noted with disgust the incident that took place at the Glen Spur restaurant in Johannesburg. The incident as seen in the video released by the Glen Spur Management clearly shows how patriarchal tendencies manifest itself in the public domain.
Had it been another male involved in the incident, the male perpetrator of such atrocious behaviour would not have charged in the same vigour like he did in this video. This goes to show how some men still view women in our society 22 years after the advent of democracy.
The CGE strongly condemns such behaviour as it goes against all it stands for, building a society free of gender oppression and inequality. The incident is also another hallmark of unbecoming behaviour by parents in front of kids.
The CGE is calling on the man in the video to make a public apology about the outburst that is so shameful and embarrassing to the menfolk. Equally so, we are calling on the woman on the video not to set a wrong precedent by opting out in reporting the matter to relevant authorities and institutions.
In the same vein the CGE has been alarmed by media reports of two taxis in grey and white colours that its occupants pounce on unsuspecting innocent female passengers and rape them. In the latest ordeal a mother was raped for 4 hours and her ten-year-old boy forced to watch such a gruesome act.
Through our media monitoring system we also learned the same modus operandi was used in Soweto, Roodepoort and Braamfontein.
The CGE is calling upon the police to act with the same enthusiasm as they have done in other cases by bringing the perpetrators of these heinous crime to book. The levels of Gender Based Violence is unprecedented in this country as it is.
The CGE believes that if this is not clampdown as speedily as possible it will give a wrong perception that gender based violence is not prioritised. The CGE calls upon the residents of Johannesburg to report or share with the police any information that could lead to the arrest of these criminals.
Contact person:
Javu Baloyi
Cell: 083 579 3306
