Residents of Tjovitjo Phase 1 and Drieziek joined IsiGqu soMama on 22 September to speak out against gender-based violence and child neglect, calling for communities to stop remaining silent when women and children are harmed.
Supported by Ward 04 Cllr Simon Molefe, the initiative carried a firm message: “Enough is enough. Kwanele.”
The campaign highlighted residents’ concerns about violence against women, including lives lost through abuse, and children left vulnerable through neglect. Organisers also raised concerns about parental alcohol abuse and its impact on children’s care and safety.
IsiGqu soMama said protecting women and children requires the involvement of the whole community. Its call extended beyond raising awareness to encouraging people to speak openly about abuse, support survivors and take responsibility for the safety of vulnerable residents.
Isigdu soMama’s Hlengiwe Khomo told OFN: “Together, IsiGqu soMama and the community are calling for greater awareness, responsibility, support, and collective action to build safer communities where women and children can live with dignity and without fear.”
The initiative urged families and neighbours to recognise that violence and neglect cannot be dismissed as someone else’s problem. Supporting survivors and ensuring children receive proper care were central to its message.
For IsiGqu soMama and the participating communities, the stand was a call to break the silence surrounding abuse and make the protection of women and children a shared responsibility.
