Motorists driving past McAuley House (our Mercy School in Parktown West, Johannesburg) on any Friday this March, would have seen a line of school children – not filing into the classrooms – but standing in absolute silence along the perimeter of the school grounds. Dressed in Kwanele Kwanele T-shirts, they stood facing the road, raising the curiosity of the passers-by.
These children have had enough: enough of the pervasive and persistent violence against women and children in our country; enough of the rape; enough of femicide; enough of abuse of all kinds.
In a recent television interview, Athol Fugard, the well known South African playwright said, “We are not a happy country.” The Rainbow Nation has lost its way.
South Africa is experiencing a wave of violent crime; especially against women and children. According to the UN Office for Drugs and Crime this country has the 10th highest murder rate in the world. Femicide by an intimate partner occurs every eight hours. Rape is endemic. In two separate surveys conducted in the rural areas 27.6 percent admitted to being rapists and 46.3 percent of victims were under 16, 22.9 percent under 11 and 9.4 percent under 6 – a high proportion of the attacks occur within families.
McAuley House staff and learners had begun planning a campaign against violence which was to have been launched later this year. Then suddenly, there was news that shocked the nation.
On the 2nd February, 17 year old Anene Booysen from Bredasdorp in the Western Cape Province was gang-raped. Her attackers then slit open her stomach, took out her intestines and broke her fingers and her legs. She lived long enough to name one of her attackers.
Everyone at McAuley House realised that the campaign would have to begin immediately. T-shirts were printed and posters were produced. The objectives and actions of this initiative were put onto the school’s website. Here we read:
“With a greater awareness of this issue in our society, and a stronger, united voice against abuse, we believe that change is possible and that as a country we can achieve;
· more stringent penalties for those who abuse.
· a more sympathetic justice system, where victims are always treated with dignity.
· a proper implementation of the National Register of Sex Offenders.
· behaviour change of perpetrators/abusers.
Besides the silent protest that will take place once a month, the school has also adopted a woman’s shelter and will raise funds to give assistance to the victims of abuse sheltering there. Once a month guest speakers will be invited to educate the learners and their parents on what constitutes abuse and what behaviour is acceptable and what is not.
Other schools have been invited to join the campaign and everyone is eager to wear the T-shirt. The local parishioners and the students from the University of the Witwatersrand partnered with the school in dealing with this scourge of violence.
Through Kwanele Kwanele the students at McAuley House are saying:
· As a society – “enough is enough; we will not tolerate abuse any longer!”
· As victims – “enough is enough; we will no longer be silent!”
· As relatives, neighbours, mothers and fathers – “we will not sit by and idly watch!”
Colleen Wilkinson rsm
South African Province
