The KZN Office of The Premier together with Phepha Foundation led a March against Gender Based Violence from City Hall to Point Road Police Station on Monday. Photograph: Gcina Ndwalane
GBV: Now march highlights alleged sex abuse at Durban mall
Activists highlighted sexual assault in the workplace during a Gender Based Violence (GBV) protest in Durban on Monday.
The KZN Office of The Premier together with Phepha Foundation led a March against Gender Based Violence from City Hall to Point Road Police Station on Monday. Photograph: Gcina Ndwalane
The KZN Office of The Premier together with Phepha Foundation led a March against Gender Based Violence (GBV) from City Hall to Point Road Police Station where they handed over a memorandum of demands.
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Director-General Dr. Nonhlanhla Mkhize joined the GBV protest, which was organised by the Office of The Premier in collaboration with Phepha Foundation.
The protest march was triggered by high-profile cases which were reported to the KZN Provincial Gender-Based Committee where three women, who were employed as cleaners at the China Mall shopping centre, were allegedly sexually assaulted at work by their manager and supervisor.
“The three GBV victims received psycho-social support from the Department of Social Development through Lifeline Durban. The South African Police Service assisted the victims with the opening of cases, conducting site visits at the crime scene where critical evidence which included used condoms was discovered,” departmental spokesperson Lennox Mabaso said in a statement.
Mabaso said that on 24 March 2021, pictures of resignation letters from both the manager and the supervisor were shared in a WhatsApp group created by victims to discuss their case.
“This information was validated by the Phepha Foundation after engaging the business owners of the China Mall shopping centre,” he said
Mabaso said purpose of the GBV violence protest march was to:
- Raise awareness about GBV and femicide in the workplace
- Ask the Point Road police station to commit to supporting victims of GBV in a fair and just manner.
- Plead with the China Mall management team to reinstate the employees who left their jobs due to sexual assault in the workplace
- Advocate for the development and implementation of a sexual harassment policy at the China Mall shopping centre
- Advocate and lobby for justice to be served without fear or favour.
Mkhize handed over the memorandum to police officers at the Point Road Police Station and to managers at the China Mall shopping centre.
