High rate of GBV in our Community
Monyadiwa Christinah Mogobye
There is a high rate of GBV in our community, and it affects everyone in the community as it hits many people in separate incidents. There is a teenage pregnancy in schools as a result of statutory rape, young girls dating older men for money, and ending up pregnant at a very young age.
Silent crisis: Many women in our community suffer in silence because they believe being beaten up is another part of being disciplined. They suffer in silence because they don’t want to lose their breadwinners. They also stay in abusive relationships because of a lack of income. The thought of leaving those men makes them believe they won’t be provided for anymore, so they end up staying and not leaving them. They are unable to stand for themselves and put their foot down, say enough is enough, they are being controlled because they are being provided for financially, they also cannot survive without men because they need money from them.
We also had another terrible incident last month. In the early hours of the 3rd of May 2026, Northam cops were called to a disturbing incident that unfolded on Sefikile Gravel Road, next to the MBT Garage in Northam.
Police were called to the scene at approximately 03:45 after reports of a vehicle on fire. Upon arrival, officers found a car engulfed in flames. A woman, aged 37, was discovered lying next to the burning vehicle. She had been tied with a wire around her waist and sustained severe burn injuries. The body was burnt beyond recognition.
The suspect, who is her husband, was arrested later the same day after police investigations.
Ward Councillor, in his own words, “ Comrade Christinah, this situation is getting out of hand. How about we visit schools and conduct more GBV campaigns so that these learners could understand the danger of GBV, so that they know and understand that statutory rape is GBV?”
As a GBV Activist and survivor, I believe men should be encouraged to attend counselling sessions regularly, GBV won’t end now.
I will arrange, organize, and host GBV Campaigns, dialogues with the Ward Councilor, and with the tribal leader’s assistance. On campaigns, we will invite ex-offenders, Correctional Service, SAPS, GBV survivors, schools, and community leaders, and on the dialogues, we will invite GBV victims, GBV survivors, and the community at large.
We as a community want to see ourselves breaking the silence by also engaging men and boys in anti-violence programs and seeing everyone participating in all the anti- GBV activities, programs, and projects.
