Statement issued by Thandi Nontenja – UDEMWO Secretary General
As the country commemorates another week of Children’s Week, the United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) calls for the hand of justice not to be lenient to children abusers and murderers. Children have become vulnerable in the hands of evil doers and they must pay for their actions.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 19 children have been killed in the Western Cape province alone while the killings continue throughout the country. This includes the cannibalism that took place in Port St Johns. This gives a clear indication that we are living in a cruel society. Most of these children died in the hands of the people close to them or someone they know. It cannot be that we continue living in such a society.
We want justice to be served and a lot more needs to be done in making sure that children are protected and they feel safe. Everyday a child dies horribly and perpetrators continue to live amongst the community where they committed crimes. This must stop.
The government together with all the stakeholders involved must come forward and tell the community about its plan to curb the crimes. We believe that the community has a vital role to play in making sure that the children are protected. We must go back to basics where my neighbour’s child is my child.
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