Statement by Dan Plato, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety
For the next 16 Days, the Department of Community Safety is teaming up with safety role-players across the province to take a stand against violence against women and children.
Our message is an important yet simple one – “Safety starts in Your Family”.
That is why we as safety partners - including the Department of Community Safety, the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ), SALGA, NICRO, Community Based organisations, local Community Police Forums (CPFs), the religious fraternity and other governmental departments – are reaching out to various communities to raise awareness about abuse, to provide intervention services where needed, and to encourage all in our communities to take a stand against abuse.
Each one of us has a duty to play in putting an end to domestic violence and abuse towards women and children. If you:
As we observe the international 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children between 25 November and 10 December, we realise that our combined efforts during the next 16 days can only lay the foundation for 365 days of action to eradicate the violence and abuse too many women and children still face in our communities.
Last night we launched our collective 16 Days of Activism campaign around the theme “Safety starts in Your Family” in Freedom Park, Mitchell’s Plain. Every women and child in our province deserves to have the freedom to feel safe where they live and as they go about their everyday activities.
The launch saw hundreds of community members joining in our march through the community to raise awareness and culminated in a street meeting where we openly and frankly discussed abuse, and discussed the services and help available to those who are facing abuse or those who might know someone suffering abuse.
We will now take our awareness drive street for street across communities during this time. We will be marching through our communities demanding an end to the abuse.
We will be gathering on street corners, in parks and on open fields so that our message is not confined to community halls filled with the converted. The message must reach the ears of the abusers, and be imprinted in the hearts and spirit of the abused, and ring out to those that stand idly by, in silence at the ongoing abuse. We all need to take the action necessary to end the abuse.
Government entities provide services throughout the year, and this campaign provides us with an opportunity to highlight what is on offer and to expand the reach of all safety role-players, better together.
The Western Cape Government acknowledges that safety is everyone’s responsibility and that all must be ignited to stand against violence and abuse.
We – government, the police and our safety partners - cannot do this alone. We need your help. We need you to join us, to speak out and to stand up against the abuse of our women and our children. I invite you to join us over the next 16 days at our various outreach events.
If anyone suspects abuse, report it immediately to SAPS on 10111 (24 hour service), Stop Gender Violence Helpline on 0800 150 150, Childline on 080 055 555 or contact the Western Cape Government Contact Centre on 0800 220 250 (7am – 7pm) to be connected to the Department of Social Development. For support and more information, SMS the word INFO to 35 395, or visit www.westerncape.gov.za
Date |
Area |
Time |
Meeting point for March |
Venue for Ceremony |
Tuesday, 24 Nov 2015 |
Freedom Park, Khayelitsha (Launch event) |
16:00 – 19:00 |
Cnr of Langeberg Road and AZ Berman |
Freedom Park, Real Madrid Circle |
Wednesday, 25 Nov 2015 |
Bishop Lavis |
16:00 – 19:00 |
Lenton Drive behind Civic |
Park in Sky Road, Opposite Sun Road |
Friday, 27 Nov 2015 |
Atlantis |
16:00 – 19:00 |
Kerria Ave |
Dura Park, near Dura Flats, Reygersdal Drive |
Monday, 30 Nov 2015 |
Khayelitsha |
10:00 – 13:00 |
Site B Railway Station |
YA Park, S to Z Block, Bangiso Drive |
Friday, 4 Dec 2015 |
Happy Valley, Blackheath |
16:00 – 19:00 |
Old Section Plaza, cnr of Allan Boesak and Ekuphumleni Street |
Corner Congo Street and Great Kei Road |
Saturday, 5 Dec 2015 |
Delft |
12:00 – 15:00 |
Delft SAPS |
Blikkiesdorp, newly built Play Park in Symphony Way |
Monday, 7 Dec 2015 |
Scottsdene, Kraaifontein |
16:00 – 19:00 |
SAPS off Botfontein Road |
Heatherly Court, Rheebok Court |
Tuesday, 8 Dec 2015 |
Lentegeur, Mitchell’s Plain |
13:00 – 16:00 |
Lentegeur Civic |
Woodlands Sport Field, Begonia Street |
Wednesday, 9 Dec 2015 |
Du Noon |
16:00 – 19:00 |
Thandabantu Road |
Taxi Rank, Dumani Road |
Thursday, 10 Dec 2015 |
Valhalla Park |
16:00 – 19:00 |
Park in Tafelberg Road |
Skate Park, Dumani Road |
Friday, 11 Dec 2015 |
Retreat |
16:00 – 19:00 |
Park in Manitoba Street |
Komlosie Park, Searl Street |
Saturday, 12 Dec 2015 |
Nyanga (closing event) |
12:00 – 15:00 |
Borcherds Quarry at the Robots |
Zolani Centre Sportfield, Sithandatu Street |
*The draft schedule of events is listed above, confirmed venues and times will be updated on the website – https://www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/community-safety/documents/public_info/D/19705
** For more detailed information on the various types of abuse to look out for as well as the different organisations who can assist with help, visit - https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/16-days-activism-no-violence-against-women-and-children-2015