The Premier of the Free State, Mxolisi Dukwana, had called on residents to join hands in addressing the scourge of gender-based violence and abduction of women and children in the province.

While addressing the public at Hoffman Square in the Bloemfontein CBD Dukwana said the scourge of GBV, abduction, and killing of women and children in the province has cast a dark shadow that needs serious attention. This was during the GBV march he led from Arts and Crafts offices to Hoffman Square alongside his MECs on Wednesday 20 December 2023. Before addressing the public a moment of silence was observed.

“As we moved and walked here, I'm asking you to talk to your soul. I’m asking you to go deeper into your soul and remember many people are suffering. The are many women, and girls who were tortured, killed, and kidnapped in our society. Let me remind you because we say this as if we just revealing stats but we are talking of people’s lives.”

 People joined the GBVF march addressed by Free State Premier, Mxolisi Dukwana, Photo: Kekeletso Mosebetsi

OFM News previously reported on the recent kidnappings that reflected a disturbing trend. The kidnapping case of 16-year-old Machaka Radebe ended tragically when a passerby discovered her body, two days after she was reported missing on December 2. While 22-year-old Lesego Mamello Motaung was reported missing by her aunt at Park Road Police Station on October 30, the investigation into her disappearance has so far yielded no results. The 23-year-old Lerato Masiu, was also last seen by her mother on Thursday, November 16, 2023.

“We go on every time, we speak about fighting. We are fighting GBV, we are fighting all these things, we are fighting corruption. We are sending a message that the only way to solve a problem is through fighting. When we have something that we cannot deal with, we resort to fighting.”

Free State MEC for DESTEA, Thabo Meeko, Premier Mxolisi Dukwana and MEC for Education, Makalo Mohale, Photo: Kekeletso Mosebetsi

 “When a man cannot reason or reach a conclusion with his better half, he thinks the only way to resolve the issue is through violence because this is what society has taught us. In the Free State, we must never speak about fighting, we must look into what we want to build. Instead of wanting to fight against GBV, we have to believe that we are in a process, a journey of building a crime-free Society,” advised Dukwana.

Meanwhile, Free State Health MEC Mathabo Lethola said today’s walk against GBVF is one of the programmes the government put in place to challenge communities to be ambassadors of violence against women and children.  

“Some of the people are just looking at the gender-based violence activities when they are happening and they don’t report them. Remember the law allows any other person to report GBVF when they see it and go to the police station and report what is happening in their neighbourhood,” she added.

Leeto called on the people of the Free State to take care of each other in dealing with the GBVF challenge.

OFM News  dg