Durban — The KZN MEC for Social Development Nonhlanhla Khoza shot a salvo at women of the cloth, warning them to refrain from being perpetrators of gender-based violence within the church and society.
Khoza cautioned that it could not be correct that women in the church allowed themselves to aid criminal activities perpetrated against other vulnerable members of the church by those in power, therefore allowing themselves to be accomplices of such heinous GBV crimes.
Addressing a church service at the Roman Catholic Church, Kevelaer Mission, in Donnybrook, southern KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, Khoza said churches should be at the forefront in all fights against GBV.
She told congregants that being silent while those in authority within the church abuse vulnerable members of the church, through sexual assault on young women and others, was synonymous with abetting the criminal offence.
Khoza also warned mothers that it was criminal of them to be silent when their daughters-in-law suffered abuse at the hands of their sons, adding that their acts rendered them accomplices to such crimes.
The Mariannhill Diocesan executive of Sacred Heart Solidarity held its annual uHambo LoMhlangano kaNhliziyo on Sunday, to remind itself about its commitment to serve human life.
Khoza was tasked by the church to speak on GBV and the role the church should play to end the scourge.
“As members of the church, we cannot sleep and wake up to come and praise God while we leave a mess in our homes. We are quiet when our sons abuse their wives. As the church, we cannot be associated with GBV that happens behind closed doors,” she said.
She said for the nation to win the war against GBV, it was imperative for all women in churches to fight the scourge through prayer, and also speak out whenever and wherever it raised its ugly head.
Khoza advocated for the support of programmes that the government leads, adding that traditional leaders and various sectors should join in the fight against the GBV pandemic.
“Once a case of abuse, rape, assault reaches church leaders, all they can do is to report it to the police. The abuser must be arrested.”
She said it was disheartening for the department to deal with a high number of femicide and teenage pregnancies that are threatening to decimate the lives of young people and society.
KZN Civic Society Coalition director Cookie Edwards said the MEC’s call for the church to report GBV should be applauded.
Edwards stated that it had long been her organisation’s plea that women must always report such cases of GBV happening and that men should also be seen to lead from the front, in the fight against the pandemic.
Ayanda Msweli Foundation director Ayanda Msweli said Khoza should involve organisations fighting the scourge in her activities within the church as well.
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