by Stanley Karombo
PRETORIA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's civil society groups on Saturday marched against women abuse in Pretoria amid a series of rapes and murders in recent weeks.
Although it is difficulty to have precise figures of the rape cases in South Africa, it is reported to be one of the countries with highest rates of female murders by their intimate partners.
According to government statistics, a woman is killed by a current or ex-intimate partner every six hours in South Africa, and 21 percent of women over 18 reported experiencing violence by a partner. Eight percent of women reported experiencing violence in the past 12-month period.
Under the banner "not in my name," the groups marched against gender violence in the wake of the deaths of several women and kids.
The nation this month was shocked by news of a gruesome murder of Karabo Mokoena, 22, who was sexually abused before charred beyond recognition by her boyfriend.
"We call on all men to stop killing and burning women beyond recognition. Men have gathered here today to speak against gender-based violence," Siyabulela Jentile, one of the organizers of the event, told Xinhua on Saturday.
"As men, we've broken that long silence. No man should beat a woman or rape a woman while you're watching," he said.
South African Deputy Minister of Justice John Jeffery said concerted effort was needed to halt the scourge of gender violence in the country.
"These cases are really horrific and they're a terrible reflection of humanity. We will do whatever we can to ensure the perpetrators are brought to book and tried in court," said Jeffery.
He also disclosed a new collaboration between his department and UNICEF to effectively tackle sexual offense issues, but bemoaned a lack of resources, infrastructure and the cost as hammering the program in some rural areas.
