The Waterpoort police and community launched the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children during a ceremony at the Fhembeledzani Primary School last Saturday.

The event was attended by members of nearly all the police stations in the Makhado cluster, representatives from the departments of health, home affairs, social  development and welfare as well as supporting communities from the Nzhelele area and project sponsors.

The event started with short-distance running in the early hours of the morning, while dance sessions and poetry renditions by cultural groups and the youth also took place.

Mrs Mpho Mukwevho, social worker at Biaba, appealed to the men to treat the women and children with dignity and respect. She pointed out that men have the tendency to abuse women and children, in the belief that this is their right because they are the man of the house. She also made a call for community members to contact her office or any other relevant office in cases where someone sees another person being abused next door.

According to the Waterpoort station commander, Capt Samuel Moshapo, the SAPS teams would be visiting all farms and communities around Waterpoort to engage community members in issues of child and women abuse. “We've been holding this project successfully for some years,” Moshapo said. “We would like to thank all our sponsors because they are the people who make this event possible each year.”

Ms Dorah Maboko, a sub-district HIV and AIDS co-ordinator who is currently stationed at Ha-Rabali in Nzhelele, said that two mobile clinics would be visiting the surrounding farms in Waterpoort, where they would give medical examinations and treatment to the community at least once a month. “Any person who experiences medical problems and is unable to reach us telephonically or in person, should approach the Waterpoort police station, who will then contact us,” Maboko said.