A stern warning has been given to children and women abusers to stop using religion and tradition to promote social ills.
This was said by traditional and religious leaders at the launch of the department of education’s men’s dialogue against violence on women and children in Lusikisiki on Thursday.
Eastern Cape provincial Council of Churches president Reverend Lulama Ntshingwa said everyone had a responsibility to take care of children. He said people should not hide their shameful acts behind the church.
“In our churches, we find that girls are shown the way by their mothers but we fail to look after the boys and they grow wild and that leads to the problems we are facing today.”
Nkosikazi Nonyaniso Fikeni of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders slammed the practice of ukuthwala.
However, she was in full support of the old practice of virginity testing, called inkciyo and uhlolo, saying that was how they knew that a girl had not been sexually violated.
Inkolo KaNtu Traditional Movement spokesperson and cultural activist Loyiso Nqevu said men should take care of their families.
The leaders called for women and children to break the silence and speak out to break the cycle of abuse and for men to protect children and women...