Wednesday, August 16, 2017

South African Democratic Teachers Union Holds a Successful March Against Gender Based Violence
14 August 2017

Thousands of SADTU members braved the heat on Saturday, 12 August, 2017 and marched from Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown to Moroka Police Station to hand over a memorandum against gender based violence as part of the Union's celebration of Women's Month.

The march was led by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, SADTU and COSATU National leadership. Addressing the marches outside the police station, Ramaphosa commended SADTU raising the levels of consciousness against gender based violence. He said the march to the police station was not confrontational but was an extension of support to the police and a call on society to stand up and join hands to fight gender based violence

The memorandum was addressed to the Ministries of Police, Justice and Women, Basic Education and Higher Education and Training, Human Rights Commission and Commission for Gender Equality.

It called on the Ministry of South African Police Services to ensure that alleged perpetrators of gender based violence are arrested speedily and on the Ministry to avail a progress report on recent widely reported cases of gender based violence in and around Johannesburg CBD to all stakeholders.

The Memorandum called on the Department of Justice to prosecute speedily those who are facing gender based violence charges and that upon conviction, the perpetrators be given a minimum sentence of 15 years with on option of a parole.

To the Department of Women, the memorandum called on them to ensure that women are afforded adequate and continuous support post exposure to any forms of violence.

The Memorandum called on the Human Rights Commission to stringently monitor all law enforcement agencies to ensure they play their part towards the protection of women's rights as human rights.

To the Departments of Basic Education and Higher Education, the Memorandum called for more investment towards the development of curricular that will help break gender stereotypes which lead to the "objectification" of women.

It further called on these Departments to ensure that education institutions are safe for education workers and students alike; and for free quality education that will create conscious South Africans who will take a stand against gender based stereotypes and the associated violence.

ISSUED BY: SADTU Secretariat

CONTACT:

General Secretary, Mugwena Maluleke: 082 783 29 68
Deputy General Secretary, Nkosana Dolopi: 082 709 5651
Media Officer, Nomusa Cembi: 082 719 5157

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