Students raise voices against plight of GBV
HER SPACE, an organisation for female students established in 2024 under the banner of the Department of Student Residence Affairs (DSRA), was the driver of a recent march and picnic against GBV, which aimed to embolden efforts against the plight.
The organisation was created in 2024 to provide a safe platform for female students to engage, grow, and support one another.
During the event, there were informative discussions about types of GBV, myths and facts about it, the cycle of abuse, the root causes such as patriarchy, power, cultural and societal norms, manipulation and control, and coercion.
Kwanele Ndebele, the project leader and Residence Life Officer, was impressed with the turnout, especially noting the presence of male students in support of the march.
'The presence of men today shows strengthened solidarity with our female counterparts. Men are often the perpetrators of violence against women, and today their support echoes the desire for some men to change their behavioural patterns.
'The violence against women is witnessed around us, and this initiative aims to educate our vulnerable sisters about GBV and assure them of the available interventions,' Ndebele said.
Also read: The dark reality of GBVF and posting the crimes on social media
The Council on Higher Education (CHE) recognises that GBV in South African universities is an institutional challenge.
'The increasing prevalence of GBV on university campuses is a concern to all law-abiding citizens. The solution is not to condemn higher education in the country, but rather to transform it so that it is focused on promoting social justice and human rights. Universities should be at the forefront of national efforts to curb social injustices and human rights violations, de-normalise GBV, and redirect stereotypes and social biases.
'Managements of universities need to review their policies and ensure that there are policies that seek to address GBV directly. Security personnel on campuses need to be conscientised about GBV and be trained to support victims in getting the incidents reported and the perpetrators brought to book,' said CHE.
The march was a collaborative effort with stakeholders, namely SAPS, the Department of Social Development and Campus HIV/Aids Support Unit and Life Line Durban.
Police reiterated the significance of reporting cases of GBV, highlighting that protection of perpetrators endangers other potential victims.
Women Abuse Helpline: 0800 055 555
For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
11 hours ago
- The South African
Why ex-Zambian President Edgar Lungu will be buried in Joburg
Ex-President of Zambia, Edgar Lungu, died on 5 June 2025, at the age of 68, while undergoing specialised medical treatment in Pretoria, South Africa. Edgar Lungu's daughter, Tasila Lungu-Mwansa, announced his passing in a video shared on the Patriotic Front's (PF's) official Facebook page. The family and PF have not disclosed the exact cause of death. On 10 March 2015, President Lungu visited Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg, where he commented on his health, according to SABC News Live and Contributing Editor Vuyo Mvoko. If surgery was necessary, he stated that it would take place in Pretoria. A Pretoria hospital admitted him at 22:15 that night. On 11 March 2015, Amos Chanda, who at the time served as the President's Special Assistant to the Press and Public Relations, reported the President's diagnosis of achalasia on the Zambian High Commission website. Achalasia is a rare condition that causes dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), chest pain, and weight loss because the oesophagus (food pipe) becomes too narrow. Drs. Dave Kishore and Dorothy Kasonde, who represent a seven-member medical team, approved the report. On 20 June 2025, the Lungu family announced their decision to bury the late former president Edgar Lungu in Johannesburg, South Africa, rather than at Zambia's Embassy Park. Continued disagreements with the Zambian government led to the decision, according to family lawyer Makebi Zulu. This caused the cancellation of the Zambian government's plans for a state funeral in Lusaka. The family's unwillingness to return the remains was due to their insistence on excluding President Hakainde Hichilema from the funeral. Hichilema, Lungu's longstanding political adversary, said on 20 June 2025 that the family blocked all governmental attempts to provide a decent state funeral. The family's hostility comes from Hakainde Hichilema's arrest and treason charges in April 2017 during Edgar Lungu's administration. For the first time, a former president of Zambia will be buried outside his homeland. The family praised the South African government's non-intrusive and respectful approach. The family has replaced the previously scheduled nationally recognised state funeral in Lusaka with a private one in Johannesburg. Following the unsuccessful talks with the family, the Zambian government officially ended the mourning period on 19 June 2025. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
The Citizen
12 hours ago
- The Citizen
Health outreach campaign targets men and youth in Alexandra
Region E health and youth sector launched a mobile health outreach campaign at Kwabhekilanga Sports Ground on June 20. It brought vital services like HIV testing and counselling, TB screening, family planning, and health education to the community. The campaign aimed to reach those least likely to set foot in a clinic, including young people, but despite the visibility and intent, attendance from the primary target was underwhelming. Read more: Efforts to mobilise men against GBV and spread of HIV continue 'We expected a little bit more youth, but even though we did not see more of them, they did show up. Also, we just wanted the community around the area, especially children, because we know they are no longer going to school,' multisectoral co-ordinator in Region E Lerato Malemela shared. Malemela reflected on the country's 'Close The Gap' campaign, which seeks to shrink the HIV treatment gap by bringing 1.1 million people into treatment. She said the outreach is part of Region E health's efforts to reduce that gap. At the launch of the HIV treatment Gap campaign in Soweto on February 25, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi revealed that men remain behind in taking HIV/Aids treatment, noting that the gap is mostly comprised of men. Since then, the Father a Nation (FAN) organisation in Alexandra has been engaging with men and encouraging them to close the gap. FAN member, the Stepping Tennis Foundation member, and co-organiser of the outreach campaign Sibusiso Shongwe said the campaign was intended to focus on that demographic of men. 'So, what we have seen at the FAN men's forum is that men are afraid to go to the health facilities. They are scared of queuing at the clinics. Here, there are no queues, they just walk in, receive services, and leave. That is why we decided that we should bring the clinic to them.' Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
eNCA
a day ago
- eNCA
Only 42% believe they have enough to retire
JOHANNESBURG - The Sanlam Benchmark Survey was released on Friday. WATCH: Early retirement | 12,000 workers could exit public service To a large extent is shows reflects a South African in financial distress, increasingly being hit by heart attacks, strokes and cancer. Nzwa Shoniwa, the Managing Executive at Sanlam Umbrella Solutions, discussed this with eNCA.
