Gauteng Legislature Community Safety Portfolio acting chairperson Thulani Kunene raised concern that the police in Mamelodi East are apparently not complying with the Domestic Violence Act.
Kunene said this during an interview with Tshwane Talks at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Stanza Bopape Community Community Hall on Tuesday to address issues of crime in Mamelodi East.
He said there is scarcity of resources like vehicles on the part of the police to respond to crimes of domestic violence.
“Another issue is that community anti-crime patrollers in Lusaka feel that they need to be paid and this issue shall be discussed by Mamelodi East Police Station Commander Brigadier Naidoo and the community of Lusaka and Chief Mabena and find solutions in this regard.
“Gender-based violence is a crime because when a man abuses his wife neighbours can hear and they are responsible citizens must intervene and report that to the police,” said Kunene.
He said a worrying factor in cases related to Gender-Based-Violence is that victims open cases but withdraw them down the line but the violence against them is repeated against them.
Ward 16 Councillor Sebelo Marishane expressed thanks that the Gauteng Community Safety Portfolio Committee together with Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi decided to come to Mamelodi to address issues of crime in the area.
Marishane advised young ladies to avoid going to places of entertainment if they don’t have money to buy their own drinks as this leads to men who but them drinks forcing them to do what they didn’t actually want to do and killing them if they refuse to comply with the men’s demands.
Marishane condemned elderly gentleman Makgetla Simelane’s statement that he (Simelane) is a member of the Mamelodi-based Boko Haram gangsters.
In an interview with Tshwane Talks Simelane decried the fact that the meeting didn’t address the crime situation in Mamelodi.
“I feel like I have attended the wrong meeting,” said Simelane.
He denied his earlier statement that he is a member of the Boko Haram gang.
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