Mafikeng: Members of Justice and Crime Prevention Security Cluster and Rustenburg Executive Mayor Mathews Wolmarans will on 8 December 2009 commemorate 16 days of Activism against Women and Children at Boitekong Village starting at 10h00 in the morning.
The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children is a United Nations campaign takes place annually from 25 November (International Day of No Violence against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day). Since 1999 the South African government has marked this day, and has ensured that the campaign is extended to include issues relating to violence against children.
The 16 Days of Activism campaign focuses primarily on generating an increased awareness of the negative impact of violence on women and children including the society as well. This year as the campaigns enters 10 years in existence, the theme remains "Don't Look Away, Act against Abuse".
"Domestic Violence in Boitekong is rife. This is caused by the fact that unemployment rate is high, alcohol consumption is high, and some people resort to produce home brewed beer and end up engaging in unnecessary fights.
"Early in the year 2008 we officially launched the Provincial Implementation Plan for the victims of crime. The Service Charter for Victims of Crime in South Africa (Victims' Charter) is an important instrument for promoting justice for all, in pursuit of cultivating a human rights culture. There is reluctance on the part of victims of domestic violence, especially men, to come forward and seek legal redress and social support.
"This could be due to insufficient knowledge of their rights and the social stigma around domestic violence. We have an public education unit to continue educating our public about their rights since victims of crime are poorly informed about their empowerment. Not knowing about your rights is tantamount to not having them at all," explains Advocate Bonolo Madiba.
"As Department of Justice and Constitutional Development we plead with domestic violence victims to stop withdrawing cases. We can't have a situation where courts are being used as play grounds. Withdrawal of domestic violence cases is high. In some families, particularly in the farming areas, the wife and husband sometimes engage in fights, a wife would lodge a case with the South African Police Service (SAPS) on Friday after a quarrel and would come on Monday to withdraw the case after the husband, who is a breadwinner, has pleaded with her.
"This conduct clutters our system and we want to issue a strong warning that we will look carefully into the merits of every case reported and unfortunately in some instances the court will have to continue with most cases with or without the consent of the plaintiff with the hope of curbing the scourge of domestic violence. This is simply protecting the victim because some victims end up being killed after withdrawing these cases," concluded Regional Head Mr Tsietsi Malema.
Media enquiries can be directed to:
Mr Isaac Mokaila
Tel: 018 397 707 1
Cell: 073 742 3906
Mr Tsietsi Malema
Tel: 018 397 7031
E-mail: tzmalema@justice.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
7 December 2009
