OPEN LETTER TO DPM

A good morning to you, Honourable Minister. I trust that this open letter finds you and your family well.

I understand that my decision to address this matter in a public forum might cause discomfort or inconvenience to yourself. However, I want to assure you that I made this choice with careful consideration of the urgency and importance of the situation.  It is written with the intention to prioritise the well-being and interests of the public, and I believe that addressing the issue in a public domain is the most effective way to do so. With due respect to yourself, Honourable  Deputy Prime Minister, the gravity of the situation that compelled me to pen this open letter to yourself cannot be overstated.

Lives are at stake, and time is running out. It is in times like these that we must be willing to push the boundaries of what is considered acceptable in order to bring about the necessary change. I, therefore, urge you to read this letter with an open mind and consider the gravity of the situation and join me in taking a stand against the injustices that are occurring. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that no more lives are lost due to inaction and indifference. That said, let us now delve directly into the subject matter of this correspondence.

Motive

The learned say, ‘desperate situations sometimes call for desperate measures’. The motive behind my writing this letter is a simple, but very important one.  It is a sincere, with no malicious intent motive, but a very urgent and desperate attempt to draw your attention to a national matter of life AND - not OR - death, namely, gender-based violence (GBV).
With due respect, Honourable Minister, I urgently implore you, not only as the minister responsible for this matter, but also as a woman and mother, to swiftly and kindly rally and persuade your fellow Cabinet members to DECLARE GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE A NATIONAL DISASTER BEFORE IT BECOMES IRREVERSIBLE! I urge you to act swiftly for obvious reasons.

I will elaborate further in the letter on the reasons for my correspondence, urging your government to officially recognise GBV as a national disaster and to promptly implement measures to tackle this issue and find sustainable solutions to eliminate it from our society. Please, indulge me and read on... Madam Deputy Prime Minister, let us not deceive ourselves - GBV remains an indelible problem that continues to haunt not only individuals and communities in the country, but across the world as well.  In terms of physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions, the effects of GBV are enormous on the affected. It does not know or show any bias towards any gender; it haunts both men and women, with the latter the most affected.

However, despite improved awareness globally of the issue of GBV, it is imperative and crucial that governments declare this scourge a national emergency if it is to be completely eradicated. As the minister under whose portfolio this concern falls, I’m pretty sure that you are acutely aware of the numerous number of horrific, and frequently reported incidents of GBV specifically that are reported in the country’s media which continue to hold the country to ransom. One possible course of action, that is, in my view in addressing this scourge is to focus on the development and enforcement of policies aimed at providing immediate relief.

In my humble opinion, a crucial initial step would involve officially declaring a state of national emergency to underscore the severity of the issue. As citizens of this country, including key stakeholders like the Swatini Action Group Against Abuse (SWAAGA), we have persistently urged previous administrations to declare GBV national emergency, but in vain. The reasons behind such inaction remains a mystery to this day. It is essential to recognise the pervasive and devastating nature of GBV and its detrimental effects on vulnerable individuals, particularly women. This acknowledgment, Madam  Deputy Prime Minister, is paramount in our efforts to combat this pressing issue.

Declaring GBV a national emergency would surely enable rapid and coordinated responses across many sectors, such as law enforcement agencies, health, social services, and education.
It is important, Madam Minister for each one of us to pool our resources and fight this scourge with all resources at our disposal.

Prevention

Surely, treating GBV as a national emergency would ensure that the matter is escalated to a higher priority status, thus encouraging further dedications of resources and funding needed to respond to survivor needs, support prevention efforts, and enforce accountability for perpetrators of such violence. If your government can declare GBV a national emergency I am positive that this would further underline serious commitment towards the eradication of this dangerous problem right at its very roots.  It is of utmost importance to make comprehensive efforts that are aimed at addressing harmful gender relations and foster healthy relationships, especially between families. We need to change societal attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate this ungodly and violent trend.

A powerful and empathetic message needs to be sent to survivors and those at risk of GBV that they are not alone or neglected in their predicament. Declaring GBV a national disaster would surely demonstrate that their plight and experiences are taken seriously at the highest echelons of government and that support and intervention measures are being mobilised to address this critical issue. Such a gesture is crucial in empowering and emboldening GBV survivors to seek help early and this can surely promote a culture of accountability for perpetrators. Madam Deputy Prime Minister, I hope you’re intently following my line of thinking this far?

As a columnist, I religiously read every local publication and to be honest with you Madam Deputy Prime Minister, I at times become scared to read local newspapers. One might ask, why is it so, Nxumalo? It is for the simple reason that a day hardly passes without any incident of GBV being reported by the media. I cannot help, but ask; what has gone wrong with our society? On June 20, 2024, the Eswatini Times reported about shocking statistics compiled by Social Welfare officers under your ministry concerning abuse cases statistics. Unfortunately, the report didn’t mention the period of time these occurred. They numbered - brace yourself - a whopping 2 723 collectively for all of the country’s regions! These, according to the article, included physical, sexual, neglect, emotional and financial abuses.

I ask again, Madam  Deputy Prime Minister: what exactly is going on with our people? Are we demon possessed or what? I am cognisant of the fact that your office is probably worried too about these shocking statistics. The million dollar question is: Is your office doing anything tangible to halt this spiralling out of control anomaly?

Statistics

Seriously, we cannot go on like this. These statistics are a stark reminder that the delay in declaring gender-based abuses a national disaster is not only doing untold damage to the reputation of the country, but it is costing the precious lives of our citizens as well as doing immense damage to the physical and emotional well-being of the most vulnerable and marginalised members of our society, specifically women and children. Finally, Madam Minister, let me address a shocking media report which was published by the Eswatini Times on Wednesday last week. It was reported that a senior magistrate based in Nhlangano allegedly pushed a woman out of a moving vehicle and assaulted her. The judicial officer was then reportedly assaulted by security guards after pushing the woman out of the vehicle and subjecting her to assault.

This incident took place in Nhlangano, located in the Shiselweni Region. The entire event was captured on camera as the magistrate was driving a hatchback along Benguni Street. Sources revealed that while the vehicle was in motion, the passenger door suddenly opened, causing the woman to be thrown out onto the tarmac. She was then seen running away from the vehicle in the opposite direction. However, as she attempted to escape from the driver, she fell. During this time, the magistrate was recorded on camera stopping the vehicle and running towards the woman. He managed to catch up with her about 200 metres away and allegedly assaulted her.

As the magistrate chased the woman to an area with poor lighting, security personnel from the nearby shops were seen rushing to the scene and pulling the magistrate away.
The woman, who was lying on the ground, was assisted by the security guards and was found to be bleeding from her nostrils. The security guards reportedly assaulted the senior magistrate, who later asked for forgiveness. The situation was eventually diffused when the police arrived, allowing the magistrate to return to his car.

Allowed

Eight police officers in two vehicles arrived at the scene, with two officers in plain-clothes and one in uniform approaching the magistrate at different intervals. They spoke to the magistrate, ensured that his car doors were properly closed and then allowed him to drive away. The woman was taken away by the police for further assistance, presumably taken to hospital. Here’s the shocking part, Madam Minister: According to the newspaper article, “It was gathered that the woman declined to press charges”! Listen to that! I give up, Madam Minister. It defies any human logic why some victims of gender-based violence after undergoing horrific abuse inexplicably decline to press charges.

Madam Minister, in the fight against GBV, it is crucial for the law to hold influential individuals accountable for their actions. Far too often, we hear about powerful people who assault women and then use their influence to evade justice. This sends a message that those in positions of power are above the law, perpetuating a culture of impunity and enabling further violence. It is imperative for the legal system to treat all individuals equally, regardless of their status in society.

Madam Minister, I would be doing injustice not only to myself, but to all victims of abuse were I to fail to mention that it is imperative for the legal system to ensure that influential individuals who commit acts of violence are held accountable for their actions. Failure to do so perpetuates a cycle of impunity and erodes public trust in the justice system. Only when all individuals are equal in the eyes of the law can we hope to eradicate GBV and create a more just society for all. It is no secret that the general public perception is that the country’s justice system has “eyes” - inemehlo.

What about the reluctance of victims in pressing charges against perpetrators?
One of the critical aspects in addressing this issue is the necessity for abused women to pursue legal action against their abusive partners. While it is understandable that victims may feel reluctant to press charges, it is imperative for the law to take its course in these situations - with or without the victim’s consent. In many cases of GBV some women have often opted not to press charges against their abusive partners for a variety of reasons.  These might include fear of retaliation, concerns about the impact on children, financial dependency, societal pressures such as the sickening Swati culture of ‘tibi tendlu’ rubbish or a lack of trust in the justice system. However, failing to pursue legal action can perpetuate a cycle of abuse and enable the abuser to continue their harmful behaviour. Numerous women who failed to press charges eventually died due to repeated assaults by the partners they protected from pressing charges.

Significance

It is essential for the legal system to recognise the significance of holding abusers accountable through legal proceedings even when the victim does not press charges. Proponents of GBV should advocate for legal reforms that enable the authorities to pursue criminal charges against perpetrators, even in the absence of the victim’s formal complaint. This is crucial in ensuring that abusers are not exempt from facing consequences for their actions simply because the victim is unable or unwilling to press charges. In conclusion, I pray that yourself and the government you serve will wake up to the reality of the consequences of delaying to declare GBV a national disaster.

Failing to understand that this is contributing to the systematic taking of lives of the most vulnerable members of society is letting down victims of GBV. If you and your government continue to drag your feet in addressing and failing to take action against this scourge, history will judge you as the most incompetent and callous administration that was ever in office. Bayaphela bomake langaphandle, while your government twiddles its thumbs, playing warped political games. Please, do something, Madam Minister before it is too late! Peace! Shalom! Wishing you, Madam Minister and everyone else a happy weekend and week ahead.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: