Campaign for No Violence Against Women and Children in Etwatwa, Ekurhuleni Region.

By-line Poseletso Chiloane

The Streets of Etwatwa were filled with joy with the young and old masses of the community in a march organized by the Gauteng Department of Social Development as part of the 16 Days of Activism campaign for No Violence against Women and Children in Etwatwa, Ekurhuleni Region. The march brought together government departments, law enforcement agencies, civil society, and faith-based, and traditional healers organisations to raise a strong voice against the abuse of women.

The march ended at the community hall Tshepo Themba where there were keynote speakers who engaged the community at large, giving much needed advice and information on steps to follow in cases where there is gender based violence, giving them contact details on people to contact when faced with such challenges. 

“The turnover of this event was impressive, it shows that gender-based violence is a big challenge faced in the community,” said Nompumelelo Hadebe (65) who is a community member at Etwatwa East talking to South African Rainbow News (SARN). 

‘’Our Job is to serve our community as an Non-Profit Organization and bring about a positive change” said Reya Shuma organization members.

Reya Shuma organization played a huge role in gathering the masses of the community and in ensuring that the function was successful alongside with South African Police Services of Etwatwa with their reserves and the Crime Prevention Wardens and the EMPD officers working hand in hand to protect the participants of the positive march that was taking place. “Our job was to protect and control everyone who was on the road” said EMPD Officer Shabangu.

Initiatives like this one always have a way of bringing the community together and exposes a lot of social ills that are faced by the community at large. Most importantly they are very positive because solutions arise from members of the community to issues that they face as the people who better understand the surrounding of the community that they live in. Furthermore, encourage public participation, such as volunteering patrollers. Gauteng Department of Social Development as part of the 16 Days of Activism campaign for No Violence against Women and Children in Etwatwa, Ekurhuleni Region was very successful and brought about a positive change to how the community address social ills that they face.