The Department of Community Safety in the Western Cape will be embarking on a 16 days of activism campaign from Friday across various areas on the cape flats. MEC Dan Plato said their campaign is aimed at empowering communities to understand the police’s role in protesting women and children from domestic violence, rape, assault and the abandonment of children.

“It is so important for us a as a government to be proactive and also be part of raising the alarm and speaking about this problem in all societies,” said Plato.

On Friday evening, the department along with SAPS and safety role-players will continue with their activism campaign in the area of Kraaifontein.

On Saturday they are headed to the area of Mitchell’s Plain where they will specifically focus on the areas of Tafelsig and Beacon Valley to highlight the issue and make people aware that they need to speak out.

The entire week there will be programs to highlight the issues of abuse in various areas such as Hanover Park, Manenberg, Bellville, Khayelitsha, Elsies River, with the campaign ending in Nyanga on the 10th December at the Zolani centre.

Plato said that these areas have been chosen jointly with the help of SAPS as it is regarded as areas where domestic violence and violence against children are prevalent.

“We will not hold public meetings however we will have meetings in the open. We will go with the policemen for change on their motorbikes, with members of the neighbourhood watch and community policing forums and we will hand out leaflets in all the areas as part of highlighting this issue,” said Plato.

Plato stressed that this was a topic that needed continuous attention not only as part of the 16 Days of Activism.

“There needs to a constant flow of information in order to educate the public, specifically men, due to the fact that 90% of attacks and assaults against women and children are perpetrated by men.” VOC (Imogen Vollenhoven)