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10 December 2020 | Story Sibongile Madlala | Photo Supplied
Sibongile Mdlala End of Gender-based Violence
Sibongile Madlala believes it is time to get every single South African involved in the fight to eradicate gender-based violence and not to look away or to stand on the side-line watching.

Sibongile Madlala, Crime Investigations Officer in Protection Services, believes it is time to get every single South African – especially boys and men – involved in the fight to eradicate gender-based violence and not to look away or to stand on the side-line watching.


“It is a time to observe that to date, gender-based violence awareness messages still promote the idea that it only affects women and children (girls) and to a certain extent ignores the plight of the LGBTIQ community, men and boys,” she says.

Report, do not keep quiet

It is time for the government and other relevant stakeholders to do everything possible to establish the root causes of GBV. She feels it is necessary to pay attention to and address matters such as mental health (of the offender and the victim/survivor), victim-offender overlap, patriarchal lines, and cultural practices that perpetuate gender inequalities.

“Government also need to observe the value of training officers of the law and the justice department, as it takes a special kind of person to deal and assist victims accordingly,” she says. 
 

Madlala is convinced that the criminal justice system needs to revisit the laws, policies, and systems that are dealing with gender-based violence-related matters, as it is failing the victims. “It is unfair to expect a victim to recount every single intimate detail in chronological order; it is also unfair to expect a minor or a mentally challenged person to stand in a box facing the perpetrator as they lead evidence over a lengthened period. The failure to implement child-friendly facilities is not acceptable,” she adds. 

“It is said that knowledge is power, and
I believe the sooner this pandemic is understood
by the victims, perpetrators, and handlers
— the sooner we will see some changes in this regard.”
—Sibongile Madlala

Dealing with perpetrators

There is a National Sexual Offenders register in which the names of all prosecuted offenders are listed when they are found guilty. In dealing with perpetrators, she suggests a similar national offender register for gender-based violence offenders. “It is important that offenders are known, as those who need to protect are sometimes abusers themselves,” says Madlala.

The 16 days of activism is a time to let everybody know that gender-based violence is not a private matter. “It is said that knowledge is power, and I believe that the sooner this pandemic is understood by the victims, perpetrators, and handlers – the sooner we will see some changes in this regard.” 

She deems it important that victims are taught the importance of reporting and not protecting the abuser, and she emphasises the significance of ensuring that the voices of survivors, activists, and those mandated to address these matters at grassroots level are amplified and listened to.

Madlala sees this period as a celebration of survivors, the victors, heroes and heroines, young and old – especially those who have chosen to speak out about their traumatic experiences, knowing that the response may be negative.
 
“It is a time to commemorate all victims of gender-based violence and to raise awareness, stimulate advocacy efforts, and share knowledge on this topic,” she says.

It is time …

News Archive

2017 Matriculant of the Year wants to make the world a better place
2017-10-09

Description: '2017 Matriculant of the Year Tags: 2017 Matriculant of the Year

The group of 14 finalists for this year’s Matriculant of the Year
competition. 
Photo: Charl Devenish

To help others in need is what the University of the Free State (UFS) and Volksblad’s 2017 Matriculant of the Year winner, Elizabeth de Vries, strives for. De Vries, who will be studying medicine from 2018, wants to work for Doctors Without Borders one day. 

All South Africans should unite
in mutual respect and
embrace one another.


Also named Sparkling Personality 

At a recent gala dinner on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus, De Vries was not only named winner of this prestigious competition, but was also elected Sparkling Personality by all 13 of her fellow finalists. She is currently a pupil at St. Dominic’s College in Welkom, where she is head girl.

This year, 96 matriculants participated in the competition, from which 14 finalists were selected. 

Mutual respect important

In addition to achieving well academically, De Vries also performs well in sports and culture. She plays the violin and piano, and does ballet, plays hockey, and swims to ‘clear her head’. 

De Vries will be very welcome at Kovsies, where we strive for inclusivity. She believes that all South Africans should unite in mutual respect and embrace one another.

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