South Africa : President calls for stronger awareness of laws, polices as campaign ends

By Bathandwa Mbola

Queenstown - Building a truly caring and non-sexist society is a mammoth, but achievable task, says President Kgalema Motlanthe.

Addressing the Mlungisi community in Queenstown at the close of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign on Wednesday, President Motlanthe said building a non-sexist society would require a stronger awareness of the many laws and policies introduced since 1994.

"The onus is now upon us to ensure that these laws are worth the paper they are written on," said Mr Motlanthe.

The thousands of people gathered at the event wore white ribbons as a symbol of peace to publicly show support for the campaign, they were also able to sign postcards to pledge their commitment to end violence.

In South Africa, the Domestic Violence Act of 1998 and the Victims Charter regulates, protects and educates victims of crime.

The Domestic Violence Act makes provision for a person who is being abused to apply to the Magistrate's Court for a Protection Order. This is done on application and must be granted by a Magistrate, if there is evidence supporting allegations of abuse.

By asking for a protection order one is not laying a criminal charge. However, if you are the victim of a type of domestic abuse that is also a crime you can apply for a protection order, or lay a criminal charge, or do both.

Acts of abuse which constitute a crime include common assault, assault with the intention of doing grievous bodily harm, indecent assault, rape, incest, attempted murder, malicious damage to property, pointing a firearm, and abuse of animals.

"For the laws to be effective at grassroots level, we must all assume the duties of being educators to those who are refusing to see the light as well as those who do not have sufficient information.

"All of us must also assume the role of a defender and campaigner for human rights," said President Motlanthe.

He said abusers needed to be challenged and made to clearly understand that abuse is a crime that violates the rights of others.

Since its inception in South Africa, the 16 Days of Activism campaign has gained momentum across the country with a focus on key inter-related challenges, among them the fight against HIV and AIDS, poverty and promoting human rights.

The end of the campaign on Wednesday coincided with International Human Rights Day.

In this regard, Mr Motlanthe said it was appropriate that the 16 Days of Activism campaign should remind South Africans of the fundamental, inalienable human rights that all of us have regardless of gender, age, religious conviction, sexual preference, class or social status.

"Discrimination against any person based on gender, age, religion or any medical condition like HIV and AIDS is a human rights issue." - BuaNews