18 Oct 2020

The Vice President, Mr Slumber Tsogwane has implored the public to unite and defeat gender-based violence (GBV) as it continues to rob families and friends of their loved ones.

Mr Tsogwane said this on Friday during the memorial service of 38-year-old Olebilemang Montenyane of Rakops, who is said to have been  found dead.

The Vice President encouraged all to stand together and ensure that the merciless culprit was arrested.

He said tendencies of public members to refuse to give evidence had become a norm in Rakops, adding that this frustrated government’s efforts to get justice for the grieving families.

Mr Tsogwane, therefore, called on the residents to become whistle-blowers and report each and every abusive person in the society.

He expressed concern that there were people known to be repeat offenders in their households, but there were no records of their offences.

Mr Tsogwane said as the alarming rate at which the cases were growing had the potential to tarnish the reputation of the country and scare away investors.

The headman of record at Kopo ward, where the deceased came from, Kgosi Chongome Gaobodiwe said he found the deceased in a bad state.

Kgosi Chongome encouraged the residents to take responsibility for ensuring the safety of their neighbours upon themselves, noting that they should also know their neighbours.

The deceased is survived by two children, a boy and girl and four siblings, two sister and two brothers. Ends