A strong call was issued for women to embrace responsible motherhood and to set examples of admirable conduct both within their homes and the broader community, with the hope that others would be inspired to follow suit. Councillor Lorraine Mashamba delivered this message during the Women's Day celebration at Zama Zama in Mashamba on 12 August. The event focused on strategies to reduce domestic violence against women.
Mashamba urged women to take action and break the silence surrounding unacceptable behaviour directed towards women. She condemned men who exploit vulnerable women. "No woman or girl child deserves to be sexually abused. Any sexual abuse activity should be reported to the police, so that the culprits can be brought to book. Men who abuse women and children deserve to be locked [up] in jail for the rest of their lives."
She further stated that men who engaged in rape and murder were cowards manipulated by malevolent forces and substances. "They deserve to be locked up for good. We don't want them to return to the community," she said.
Mashamba highlighted the various forms of abuse, including physical, sexual, and emotional, emphasising that most cases of domestic violence and sexual abuse in South Africa went unreported. "We need to engage traditional leaders as much as we can. There is no 'correct' way for victims to respond to or feel about abuse. People who are abused also experience confusion, fear, hopelessness, helplessness and shame," Mashamba said.
Another speaker, Ms Mercy Rambau, underscored the continued concern surrounding violence against women and urged victims to report all incidents to the police. Rambau encouraged community members to speak out against abuse and not wait for tragedies to unfold.
Pastor Agnes Ntshauba said that incidents such as these occurred within villages. She emphasised the need for women and communities to raise their voices and act against abuse. "It is everybody's responsibility to look after their neighbours and check what is happening to with them. Problems should be tackled at an early stage. Gender-based violence can be overcome if we all stand up and work with the police to fight it vigorously," she said.