Hundreds of mainly male members of the March and March organisation took to the streets of Durban on Wednesday, raising their spears and shields in solidarity with victims of gender-based violence. The protest, which kicked off the organisation's national anti-gender-based violence campaign, was held at Albert Park. The march was part of a "Day of Action" organised by SA First Forum and March and March.
The march was a call to action against the growing crisis of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa. According to Xolani Zuma, co-founder of March and March, the organisation was not convinced by President Cyril Ramaphosa's address to the nation on Tuesday, in which he announced a four-point plan to address the crisis. Zuma described the plan as a "tick-box exercise" rather than a practical solution.
Zuma expressed frustration that the president's plan did not provide immediate, practical solutions to the crisis. He suggested that the government could instruct the minister of finance to allocate funds to assist municipalities and the minister of police to increase visibility in hotspots. Zuma also called for an increase in mobile police stations to deal with the problem.
The March and March organisation is also demanding that the government take action to reduce the number of refugees in the country and remove those who are in South Africa illegally within two years. Zuma stated that the organisation would use the 2029 elections as a yardstick to evaluate the performance of candidates.
Zuma emphasised that the march was not just about men, but a societal issue that required a collective response. He stated that men, by their nature, were protectors and existed to provide love and protection to their women and families. The organisation plans to participate in 16 days of activism to push for practical programmes to address the killing of women and children.
The march in Durban was part of a broader effort to raise awareness about gender-based violence and push for action from the government. Zuma criticised the president's directive to deal with the backlog of prosecutions, saying it was not practical given the limited resources available.
The March and March organisation is also calling for adherence to bylaws to ensure that the township economy is reserved for South Africans. The organisation plans to continue advocating for practical solutions to address the crisis of gender-based violence.
Key points
- The March and March organisation is demanding practical solutions to address the crisis of gender-based violence.
- The organisation is calling for an increase in mobile police stations and the allocation of funds to assist municipalities.
- The organisation plans to use the 2029 elections as a yardstick to evaluate the performance of candidates.
