SOCIAL COHESION CANNOT BE ACHIEVED IF WOMEN & CHILDREN LIVE IN FEAR - MTHETHWA

The minister was speaking on Wednesday at the Reconciliation Month 2020 dialogue on racism and gender-based violence in Cape Town.

Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa. Picture: GCIS

Veronica Mokhoali 

JOHANNESBURG - Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa on Wednesday said as the country marked National Reconciliation Day, social cohesion could not be achieved as long as the women and children of South Africa lived in fear.

“Gender-based violence is not a problem that women created and therefore, we cannot leave it to our womenfolk to solve when they are not responsible for it in the first place,” Mthethwa said.

“I call upon all sectors of society to form workable partnerships so that we can deal effectively with this plague of violence against women. Together, we can beat this scourge of gender-based violence and femicide,” he added.

The minister was speaking at the Reconciliation Month 2020 dialogue on racism and gender-based violence (GBV) in Cape Town.

The Day of Reconciliation, which has been observed since 1994, aims is to foster reconciliation among all race groups and to promote national unity.

Mthethwa said this year the day is commemorated under the theme: “United in Action against Racism, Gender-Based Violence and Other Intolerances”.

He said 26 years into democracy South Africa is still grappling with social injustice and the escalation of GBV.

The minister implored South Africans to decisively act against GBV and femicide.