Today, at 12 o’clock midday, Concerned Women from SAWID call on all South Africans, particularly radio and television practitioners, to observe a silent minute to hold government accountable for failing to fulfill its obligations towards ending GBVF.
This year, President Ramaphosa signed into law legislation aimed at strengthening efforts to end GBV in the country including the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act Amendment Bill, the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Bill, and the Domestic Violence Amendment Bill.
However, it’s simply not enough to write up laws that criminalise violence against women.
According to a Statistics South Africa report, nearly 50% of GBV assaults are committed by someone close such as a friend or acquaintance (22%), spouse or intimate partner (15%), or a relative or household member (13%) — and only 29% are committed by a complete stranger.
We demand that this STOPS NOW.
The Cente for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation reported the Presidential Summit on GBVF as a ‘waste of time’ according to those who participated in it due to the alarming “lack of accountability from most government departments.” This lack of accountability and government inaction against the scourge of GBVF further exacerbates what can be curbed. This call for 1 minute silence on Monday, noon on 12 December is a response to call for accountability that will swiftly address GBVF.
12 O’clock is a call for a new time of accountability.
We call for radio and television to observe a minute of silence precisely at 12 noon on Monday. We call for religious communities to pray for 5 minutes prior observing silence. We call for churches to ring church bells at 11:59am to stop at 12:00. We call on taxis and motorists to switch on their lights at noon and observe silence. We call on citizens to take selfies, videos of their minute of silence or hold silent social media spaces such as Twitter Space together. This silence serves to remember and amplify the silenced voices of the millions of GBVF victims and those who have lost their lives after being violated. South Africans are encouraged to use this time to stand together for a country that is safer to live in especially for children and women. We are calling for a more accountable society to end Gender.
