Four Eastern Cape universities have held their respective marches against violence on women on different campus sites Tuesday afternoon.
Rhodes University, Walter Sisulu University (WSU), University of Fort Hare (UFH) and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) have pledged unity in raising awareness about violence on women.
The Vice-Chancellors of these universities are united in the view that communities need to reject gender-based interpersonal violence and that the academy is tasked with leading by example and encouraging the communities in which they exist to take a stand against violence against women.
A spate of gruesome murders on women has occurred in the province in the past few years. Lelona Fufu, 23, from Motherwell in Port Elizabeth was murdered while hitchhiking to her graduation ceremony at Rhodes University in Grahamstown in April last year.
In January this year, Thandiswa Qubuza, a young woman from Fingo Village in Grahamstown was gang-raped and assaulted by eight men. Thandiswa died after lying in a coma for six weeks. No suspect was arrested for her crime.
“It is in light of such incidents that Rhodes, UFH, WSU and NMMU are adding their voices in this display of solidarity against gender violence in the Eastern Cape and in the country as whole,” said NMMU spokesperson Roslyn Baatjies.
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Caption: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University students in Port Elizabeth marching against violence on women.
Picture: Supplied
By Sithandiwe Velaphi
Source: The New Age