Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, has reiterated the call for society to stand in unison with government to fight the battle against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

The Minister made the call during a visit to the bereaved family of Fort Hare University student, Nosicelo Mtebeni, who was brutally murdered allegedly by her boyfriend.

Nkoana-Mashabane emphasised that while government is doing its part, it cannot achieve this objective alone.

“Prevention of GBVF must start at family and societal level, where perpetrators live side by side with victims. How we raise our girl and boy children is key.

“We have to teach boys that resolving conflict without resorting to violence is critical. We have to work on the self-esteem of young boys and men in our society,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.

The Minister expressed her heartfelt condolences to the Mtebeni family, saying their pain is shared by the whole nation.

“This is a very painful period for all of us. The Mtebeni pain is our pain. Nosicelo was the beam of hope for this family and that hope has been gruesomely taken away from them,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.

She said the visit to the Mtebeni homestead was of paramount importance, as the family needed to be reassured that they are not mourning the death of their daughter alone.

On Saturday, the Minister also met with the granddaughter of 93-year-old, Cynthia Doubell, who was raped and murdered in her home in Belville, Western Cape.

Source: South African Government News Agency