Withdrawal
of domestic violence cases exacerbates women and children abuse - MEC Shongwe
The withdrawal of domestic violence cases was among
others contributing factors of abuse on women and children, this is according
to Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe.
Shongwe said that those who report cases of abuse and
later withdraw them should be arrested. He says this has an impact on the South
African Police Service (SAPS) as resources and time is devoted to thoroughly
investigate these cases.
The MEC said this encourages the perpetrators to
perpetually abuse women and children as they know that the cases against them
would be withdrawn by their victims, while crime statistics would also continue
to show an increase on this category of crime.
Shongwe was speaking during the provincial launch of
the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children held in
Thembisile Hani Local Municipality yesterday [29 November 2014].
In his address, Shongwe told thousands of people who
attended the event that women must stop protecting perpetrators of abuse just
because they are breadwinners.
“All cases should be
reported because police would not know when people are abused in their houses,
unless reported at the relevant authorities. It is the duty of the victim to
present reliable information to the police so that the perpetrator is
prosecuted and we stop him from harming more people,” said Shongwe.
He added that parents
must protect their girl children from underage drinking as this expose them to
abuse and rape by the men who buy them alcohol in taverns and that taverns that
do not comply with regulations, in particular those allowing underage youth in
their premises be closed down.
Shongwe further
emphasized that although government promotes equality amongst men and women;
women must not abuse their rights, they must continue to respect other people.
Speaking at the same
event was Mpumalanga Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Meshack
Nogwanya who said that according to their records, a lot of cases of abuse
where caused as a results of alcohol.
According to Nogwanya,
during this Festive Season police will raid taverns to ensure that the
operators are authorised to operate and that they comply with their operating
licenses.
“I have ordered police in
the province to permanently close down all non complying taverns. We are
declaring a war against them and also to those who own scrap yards dealing with
stolen vehicles. We will also monitor all ports of entry in the province to
make certain that no illegal goods such as drugs are smuggled into the province,”
he said.
Nogwanya later assured
the community that all corrupt police officers will be flushed out of the
police service as they dent the image of good policing.
Meanwhile, Mpumalanga
Chairperson of Traditional Leaders, Kgoshi Lameck Mokoena said that men must
not use tradition to perpetrate abuse.
He said that as
traditional leaders, they discourage “ukuthwala” [marrying a woman forcefully]
as it promotes gender based violence.
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