EMPOWER IZWE SA DOING IT FOR WOMEN AND COMMUNITY

Martha Ngwetsane addressing residents at the Empower Izwe SA Imbizo held at the True Gospel Church in Extension 4 Mamelodi East on Saturday

Non-profit company Empower Izwe SA held a women empowerment and community-building event on Saturday at the True Gospel Church in Extension 4 Mamelodi East.

The aim of the event, dubbed Women’s Imbizo 2026, was to empower women with oportunies and knowledge regarding various aspects of their lives.

Some of the residents who attended the Empower Izwe SA Imbizo

“We have realised that women don’t have information regarding how to deal with issues like Gender Based Violence ( GBV) and substance abuse, so we decided that for the benefit of women we must invite them to a meeting where the will meet all stakeholders and entities whose duties and responsibilities are entrenched in community interests,” said Empower Izwe co- founder and project Co-ordinator Sipho Zwane.

Officials from the Tshwane Metro Police, Correctional Services, SAPS, anti- GBV organisations, various community-oriented organisations and ordinary members of the community, especially women, were in attendance at the Imbizo.

Women parolees who are still under Correctional Services supervision also gave testimony regarding their experiences during the time they served time in jail.

One such parolee, who introduced herself as Margarette, served 15 years in jail for murder after killing the person who was abusing her physically. emotionally and spiritually instead of protecting, loving and protecting her.

“Prison is not jail, it is a rehabilitation centre where you learn to love and care about others in your interactions with your fellow convicts,” she said.

Another lady parolee Rachel, said prison is traumatising because there are bullies there who make life unbearable for their fellow inmates.

“I came out of prison in 2021 after serving 16 years for fraud and I would like to advise youth in general and women in particular not to succumb to bad influence by friends and also not to be tempted into acts of theft at their workplaces,” she said.

She revealed that she was coerced by her supervisor to steal money from the company that they were both working for and that the said supervisor died at the time their fraud trial was still ongoing and she therefore had to face the music alone.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel Chiloane from the Department of Community Safety revealed the following rights and privileges which elderly citizens must exercise in terms of the new legislation that has been put in place by the government:

1.The elderly have a right to call the police to their own homes and open a case in the comfort of their own homes.

2.The elderly may call the police to their homes when they want to make an affidavit.

“All people who have opened a case at any police station have the right to demand constant feedback from the investigating officers,” he said.

According to Empower Izwe SA chairperson Martha Ngwetsane, the organisation was formed in 2024 based on 3Cs, namely:

1.Compassion; which entails showing compassion and giving support to those in need in the community.

2.Correct; which entails building trust and understanding in the community.

3.Correct; which entails giving guidance with respect.

Ngwetsane said her organisation’s target group is women of all ages, teenagers, young women, mothers and elderly people.

“The purpose of Saturday’s Imbizo was to empower women of all ages, raise awareness about Gender-Based Violence and equip them with knowledge regarding where they must seek help and support when the need arises,” said Ngwetsane

“Topics of discussion during the Imbizo included understanding GBV, knowing one’s rights, mental health healing, women empowerment and support services as well as knowing where to go when seeking help” she said.