The pressure group Action Society is urging president Cyril Ramaphosa to take immediate action against the EFF leader, Julius Malema, for threatening to attack police officers and their families at their homes.
“Since almost 40% of the SAPS’ workforce (69,653 members) is women, this threat should be taken seriously. As the 16 Days of activism against gender-based violence (GBV) are coming to an end, we are requesting the president to make an arrest and hold Malema accountable for his reckless actions,” says Daleen Gouws, spokesperson of Action Society.
Apparently Malema’s rage against the police is for the ill-treatment of his party’s members during recent protests at Senekal and Brackenfell. He declared a war on SA’s police force.
“Not only is a threat on someone’s safety a criminal offense, such behaviour from a member of parliament should not be tolerated. As a husband and father to daughters, president Ramaphosa makes no secret of his personal fight against GBV in South Africa. Therefore we are holding our breath to see how serious he assesses the situation and respond accordingly,” says Gouws.
According to Ramaphosa women have every right to expect that they are free from harassment and violence on the streets, in schools and campuses, on buses, taxis and trains, at places of work and worship, and in their homes.
He claims that violence against women is a men’s problem — it is men who rape and kill women.
“There is absolutely no way Ramaphosa can oversee this influential man who has overstepped all boundaries. He needs to act in the best interests of the women of this country by addressing this specific incident,” says Gouws.
As a civil rights organisation giving a voice to the voiceless, strongly condemn Malema’s statement and support Ramaphosa’s vision that men must speak out and stop looking the other way.
ISSUED BY: Action Society
DATE: 9 December 2020
FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Daleen Gouws,
Spokesperson: Action Society,
Cell: 0812338351
