While the rest of the country is going purple in solidarity with the proposed nationwide shutdown over the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula is making some people see red. Mbalula, who is no stranger to putting his foot in it, this week expressed his displeasure that advocacy group Women for Change is planning the shutdown to coincide with the forthcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg.
While conceding the right of South Africans to protest, Mbaks suggested that our crisis of violence against women should rather be dealt with “internally”, presumably to hide it from our esteemed international visitors and travelling media. But for the victims of GBV the “internal” handling of the outrage, including numerous conferences and public statements, has brought nothing but more suffering and fear.
Ja, Mr Fix Nothing, the Mampara honours go to you for trying to protect the nation’s image by burying the scourge and silencing the voices speaking against this shameful blot on our country.
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