Mayor bemoans killing of women and children

Denouncing women abuse . . . Mangaung executive mayor Olly Mlamleli

Mangaung executive mayor Olly Mlamleli has expressed concern at the sudden rise in cases of women being attacked by their partners or people known to them saying the immoral act should stop.

In her budget speech on Wednesday, Mlamleli said the senseless killing of women and children by men who are supposed to love them and protect them should not be allowed to continue.

She urged communities to come together and pray for the healing of what she described in the words of former president Thabo Mbeki as a sickness.

“We dare not allow our society to be defined as a sick society just by virtue of the actions of a few sick minds,” said Mlamleli.

“Let us divert the racial wars and these femicides to efforts aimed at generating economic development in our city. Such efforts must contribute immensely to creating jobs and stimulation of economic growth in every ward,” she added.

Studies have indicated that South Africa has the highest rate of women murdered by their partners in the world.

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) revealed in a health survey published last month that 21 percent of women over the age years in South Africa or one in five women, have experienced violence by their partner.

It revealed that for 17 percent of women aged between 18 and 24 years old, partner violence was something they had experienced in the previous 12 months.

According to Stats SA, black African women from rural areas, in lower income families faced the highest risk of falling victim to intimate partner violence. Other studies say the most dangerous moment for a woman trapped in a violent relationship was when she leaves the partner.

A 2015 policy brief by the Cape Town based Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health said half of all the murders of women were carried out by their partners.

Back in 2004, the South African Medical Research Council reported that every six hours, a woman was killed by her partner in the country.

A 2012 follow-up study showed a decrease, indicating that a woman died every eight hours at the hands of her partner including ex-husband or ex-boyfriend.

The mayor also expressed concern at the increased emergence of gangs which has resulted in the brutal killing of innocent people.

Describing the situation as agonising, Mlamleli urged the perpetrators – especially those seeking repentance but were scared – to approach authorities such as government leaders, councillors, pastors, teachers and parents for assistance.

She commended non-profit organisation NICRO for their commitment in nation-building recruiting learners from Hodisa Technical School and Moemedi High School as Safety Ambassadors, leading campaigns saying “No to drugs and gangs”.

“Together, we must overcome drug-abuse and gangsterism. Ours is not a haven for gangs, but a city that cares, a city central to the just cause of a better life for all,” said Mlamleli.