The protest march began at the City Hall in Durban on Monday 26 April 2021, and proceeded to the Point Road Police Station in Durban and ended at the China Mall shopping centre, formerly known as The Wheel Shopping Centre.
Dr Mkhize handed over a memorandum at the Point Road Police Station and the China Mall shopping centre respectively.
The protest march was triggered by high-profile cases which were reported to the KZN Provincial Gender-Based Committee where three women, who were employed as cleaners in the China Mall shopping centre, were allegedly sexually assaulted at work by their manager and supervisor.
The three GBV victims received psycho-social support from the Department of Social Development through Lifeline Durban. The South African Police Service assisted the victims with the opening of cases, conducting site visits at the crime scene where critical evidence which included used condoms was discovered and securing an interview date for victims with the Magistrate on 26 May 2021.
On 24 March 2021, pictures of resignation letters from both the manager and the supervisor were shared in the WhatsApp group created by victims to discuss their case. This information was validated by Phepha Foundation after engaging the business owners of the China Mall shopping center.
The purpose of the gender-based violence protest march, which takes place the day before Freedom Day, is to highlight the following:
1) Raise awareness about Gender-Based Violence and Femicide in the workplace;
2) To ask the Point Road police station to commit to supporting victims of GBV in a fair and just manner;
3) To plead with the China Mall management team to reinstate the employees who left their jobs due to sexual assault in the workplace;
4) To advocate for the development and implementation of a Sexual Harassment Policy at the China Mall shopping centre; and
5) To advocate and lobby for justice to be served without fear or favour.
The GBV protest march took place in full compliance with Covid-19 protocols and regulations.
Issued by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government.
For more information, please contact:
Mr Lennox Mabaso:
082 884 2403 or
Mr Thami Ngidi
066 306 6793.