By Nangamso Mabindla
17 August 2005

RESPONDING to an increase in the levels of crime related to abuse, the provincial government hosted a summit at the East London City Hall to discuss ways to prevent violence against and abuse of women and children.

The summit, aimed at drawing up a strategy to tackle the problem, was attended by Buffalo City Mayor Sindisile Maclean, Premier Nosimo Balindlela, Deputy Minister of Correctional Services Cheryl Gilwald and several MECs.

Speaking at the summit, Balindlela said members of the executive council resolved that the province host a summit to ensure that the government, together with civil society, developed concrete strategies for the eradication of gender-based violence.

"The continuous violence that strips our women and children of their dignity and humanity ... requires us to come together to defeat this social scourge and harness the good work being done by some of our people," she said.

For the government to succeed in the fight against violence and abuse, communities needed to break the silence on rape and abuse of women and children by exposing the perpetrators.

"As the government we support all community-based, victim-empowerment initiatives and challenge other sectors to play their part in defence of our democracy," Balindlela added.

Speaking about the rate of abuse in the province, MEC for Safety and Liaison Thobile Mhlahlo said the summit was taking place at a time when the province was mourning the death last week of three young boys in Mthatha.

"The recent unacceptably high levels of violence against women and children herald a necessity for all of us to take action in defence of human dignity," Mhlahlo said.

Reducing gender-based and sexual violence, developing an integrated criminal justice system, improving service delivery by the police and establishing crime prevention strategies were primary policy objectives of the government.

At the end of the summit a pledge to oppose violence against and abuse of women and children was signed.