Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga calls for a gun-free society and urges strengthening family structures to end GBVF

The Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, calls for the reconstruction and strengthening of the family structure to end gender-based violence and femicide. It is unfortunate that just this weekend, a total of 12 family members were gruesomely murdered in Bergville (5) and Orange Farm (7), respectively.

It is deeply saddening that on Sunday, 12 October 2024, five family members, including two young children, a woman with a disability, and an elderly woman, lost their lives in Bergville. Subsequently, another mass shooting took place in Orange farm wherein Seven people were gunned down and one-year-old as well as a 31-year-old sustained injuries.

Responding to this unfortunate tragedy, Minister Chikunga calls for reinforcing family' critical role as the foundation of our communities. "Strong families form the core of stable societies; when these structures falter, the ripple effect extends to the community", said Minister Chikunga.

At the recent meeting, South African Council of Churches Minister Chikunga emphasised that "Families are the microcosms of society, and it is through building resilient and supportive family structures that we can begin to address the root causes of violence in communities."

The Minister is calling on faith-based organisations, community leaders, and civil society to support efforts to strengthen family bonds, particularly in addressing domestic violence, mental health, and conflict resolution. We commend law enforcement agencies for their immediate response and arrest of a 33-year-old man in KZN. We must not only seek justice for the victims but also prioritise the healing and reconciliation of the entire Bergville and Orange Farm communities in the wake of this violence.

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