Etafeni highlights women’s challenges

Nyanga residents marched against gender-based violence and the killing of women.

As the country prepared to commemorate Women’s Month, staff at Etafeni Day Centre highlighted rape, poverty and abuse as some of the main challenges women are currently facing.

National Women’s Day was commemorated on Tuesday August 9 and to mark the occasion, Etafeni staff and other stakeholders gathered at the centre’s premises to form a human chain. Their aim was to raise awareness of, and condemn the killing and abuse of women.

Also part of the chain were young children from the pre-school who accompanied the adults through the area to hand over a list of grievances to the Nyanga police station.

“We have just started the Women’s Month and in the very same week we are being counted with a case of a young woman in a dustbin,” said Etafeni fundraiser and development manager Erica Raolane, referring to the gruesome discovery of a woman’s body which was found in a wheelie bin in Crossroads.

“We want to act because no one is going to act for us. Everyone in the community needs to stand up and act. It is going to escalate, it is going to turn into a mess. It is something that we cannot handle. And the reason to involve kids is that people need to know that it is our responsibility as adults to protect the kids and hence that the human chain has the kids in the middle,” she added.

She said Etafeni staff handle about 150 cases of gender-based violence every month. These cases, she said, included the abuse of young children as well as the abuse of elderly people by their grandchildren.

“Our aim is to protect kids. Our aim is to protect seniors. Oogogo bethu who started this centre and everyone in the community of Nyanga. What is happening in our areas today, and especially killings, rape against women, all the scourges, women trafficking, child and women abuse, and so many many things should be condemned,” she said.

Xolani Tshandu programme’s manager said the centre was a safe space in Nyanga where those who had been abused could come and see their social workers at any time of the day.

Addressing the crowd he appealed, especially to girls, to leave their abusive partners. Mr Tshandu said girls need not tolerate any form of violent conduct by their boyfriends. “Abuse starts slowly, maybe with an insult and a klap. That is the start. Do not allow that to happen to you. Tell your partner to stop it while it is starting. If not, leave him,” he said.

Etafeni offers a number of programmes, including social work, sewing, gardening, care for orphans and vulnerable children and community development, as well as an after-school programme which operates from Monday to Friday, from 2.30pm to 4pm.

Etafeni can be contacted on 021 386 1516.

The writing was on the wall.
Erica Raolane and Xolani Tshandu addressing the crown and thanking all thest akeholders that supported the march.