DURBAN - KwaZulu Natal Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza pleaded with Ondlunkulu (“queens”) of traditional councils to play a significant role in breaking the chains of poverty in their areas.
She was addressing a women’s dialogue with Ondlunkulu which was held at San Lameer Resort Hotel in Ugu district municipality on the South Coast.
Khoza said her department has programmes available where they would like to see Ondlunkulu play a role to “end the scourge of poverty” in communities.
“We encourage Ondlunkulu to ensure that women in their respective clans (areas) grab available opportunities presented by the government to change their unfortunate situations,“ she said.
Khoza said fighting gender-based violence is a societal problem and “we cannot fold our arms while we see other women being abused and suffer on a daily basis”.
She said Ondlunkulu must also expose those individuals who rape children and believe that they can simply pay “compensation“ in a form of livestock to resolve the problem. She said a rape case can never be dealt with in traditional councils, and criminals need to be prosecuted.
“Those people who accept ‘compensation’ after rape of their children must equally face the law,” said Khoza.
The speaker of the Legislature, Nontembeko Boyce, who was part of the event, said Ondlunkulu must also speak on issues that make everyone uncomfortable, to encourage respect and discipline.
“We need to see Ondlunkulu lead a fight against gender-based violence," she said.
Ugu District chairperson of Ondlunkulu, Nomusa Xolo of KwaXolo Traditional Council, applauded the move by MEC Khoza to introduced a self-reliance programme that could assist women and communities.
"In our clans, we are ready to play our role and we need empowerment programmes. In all challenges we face as Ondlunkulu, we need to be united. We want to make a lot of changes in our communities. We have been knocking on a lot of doors, but we are happy that the Department of Social Development responded so positively to ensure change in women’s lives," said Xolo.
She added that they wanted to uplift their communities and not to be treated as stooges in their clans.
The dialogue was also attended by legal experts, who helped empower Ondlunkulu with their legal rights on inheritance and related issues.
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