Port Elizabeth residents take to the streets over gender-based violence

Being fed up with the scourge of gender-based violence, the proliferation of farm attacks and murders, corruption in government and everything in between  prompted Port Elizabeth residents take a united stand at the weekend and stage several protests around the city.

The protest action, which saw three different events taking place on Saturday across Nelson Mandela Bay, garnered much needed awareness  in the hopes of bringing about social change.

A silent, sit-down protest held at the Port Elizabeth City Hall saw more than 200 participants gather with the hope that their presence would encourage the municipality to take action against gender-based violence.

Event organiser Tayla Hynch said the scourge of gender-based violence had become a pandemic which needed to be addressed by the metro.

“We have taken matters into our own hands as we are tired of government not doing anything about it,” Hynch said.

Hynch said it was concerning that there were not enough safe spaces for women who were victims of abuse and that even police stations were not on par with dealing with survivors of gender-based violence.

“Police stations need to be up to date with dealing with trauma counselling for example,” Hynch said.

Hynch, along with a number of other organisations including the Rape Crisis Centre, handed over a memorandum of demands to the metro on Saturday.

They called for, among other things, the metro to make public the sexual offenders register, for police stations to be revamped and for the metro to do more about education in terms of gender-based violence.

Public health political head Yolisa Pali accepted the memorandum and promised the city would look into the demands and meet with the necessary stakeholders to develop a way forward.

Rape Crisis Centre director  Berenice Jacobs, who was at the protest, said she supported the call for the metro to become involved in addressing the issues. 

“Sexual and gender-based violence has always been a pandemic. It is no longer just a woman’s issue. It is becoming out of control,” Jacobs said.

In another march held on Saturday at Stanford Road, a group of about 50 people took to the streets calling for the public to stand up against gender-based violence.

Event organiser Cuwan le Roux said it was in an effort to create awareness around gender-based violence in  the northern areas.

“As a man I must use my voice — this is affecting all of us.

“Every woman knows someone who has been a victim of gender-based violence and that needs to stop,” Le Roux said.

Protester Greshanda Bowers, 31, of Gelvandale, said she took part in the march to stand up for all the silent women who were fighting a silent battle.

“So many women are fighting this alone, especially in out communities and we need to stand with them and create awareness,” Bowers said.

At the William Moffett Expressway, hundreds of people gathered to bring their concerns to the public’s attention.

Organiser Sharon Jessop said the protest was for people who had had enough and it was time everyone took a stand.

“We can’t stand back and not do anything.

“If we can get awareness of the issues many people face during this difficult period then we can create hope and courage to fight back,” Jessop said.

The march saw hundreds of people lining the road on Saturday morning and was not aimed at a specific issue or concern but was intended to allow ordinary citizens to stand up for their own causes, Jessop said.

“We can’t stand back and not do anything. We need to do something about the situation in this country,” Jessop said.

Lisa Visser, 29, of Parsons Ridge said she stood in solidarity with people who had had enough.

“I am with everyone who is against what is going on in this country.

“Too many people are struggling and unable to make ends meet or feed themselves and their families and something needs to be done about it,” Visser said.

— HeraldLIVE