SA gears up for 16 Days of Activism

South Africa will participate in the 16 Days of Activism of No Violence against Women and Children campaign from 25 November to 10 December 2021.

According to the Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, who was addressing the media on outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, the United Nations campaign will heighten awareness of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in the country.

The 16 Days campaign forms the centre point of the government’s comprehensive 365 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the global 16 Days campaign.

Cabinet has welcomed the triple life sentence handed down to rapist and murderer Mfanasibili Cornelius Mnisi, 29, by the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Mbombela recently.

“This harsh sentence demonstrates the zero-tolerance approach against GBVF by the criminal justice system,” Gungubele said.

By working together with the police and other law-enforcement agencies, Cabinet believes it will make South Africa’s communities safer for all.

Gungubele called on every citizen to be vigilant and report all GBVF-related incidents to the police or call the National GBVF Command Centre on 0800 428 428 or Stop Gender Violence Helpline on 0800 150 150/1207867#.

Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Bill of 2021

In addition, Cabinet approved the submission of the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures), Amendment Bill of 2021, to Parliament for processing.

According to the Minister, the proposed amendments provide for the mechanism to enforce the taking of buccal samples from cells on the inside of the person’s cheek from people convicted under Schedule 8 offences.

The Schedule 8 offences include sexual offences, robbery, human trafficking and culpable homicide.

“The collected buccal samples will facilitate future prosecutions for re-offenders,” said Gungubele.

Meanwhile, the Bill will also enable the establishment of a comprehensive forensic DNA database to strengthen the fight against crime by capacitating the police with evidence to investigate and solve serious crimes, the Minister said.

Palestine Solidarity Alliance calls out Miss SA Lalela Mswane

The Palestine Solidarity Alliance has accused recently crowned Miss SA Lalela Mswane of not caring about the plight of Palestinians and being “worried about her own self gains”.

The verbal attack comes as Mswane prepares to take part in the Miss Universe pageant in Israel next month.

The alliance has taken to Instagram to call for a boycott of the pageant and lambaste Mswane, whom it claims blocked it and its youth wing on the social media platform.

The alliance claimed “after weeks of trying to engage with Mswane, with regards to the plight of the Palestinian people, she has decided to to block” both bodies.

“It is clear now that our Miss SA does not care about the plight of the Palestinians and is only worried about her own self gains”.

The Miss SA Organisation told TimesLIVE it “is not getting involved in a political war of words and looks forward to watching Miss SA make the country proud on an international stage”.