Durban — The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development has called for the arrest of the policewoman who has allegedly been abusing her husband of 12 years.
The abuse was made public on Thursday by the IFP in KZN after the husband approached the party for help.
On Sunday, MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza said the continuing lack of empathy and violation of human rights perpetuated by officers of law needs to be exposed.
Khoza was reacting to a report by a husband who alleged that he had been suffering abuse from his wife who is a police officer in Durban.
The department said Khoza had sent a team of social workers to provide psycho-social support to the husband following his brutal assaults for years
“It is alleged that the man had to apply for a protection order after his wife injured his private parts,” the department said.
“As a nation, we should not tolerate incidents of gender-based violence regardless of who is involved. We agree that we have a lot of cases of gender-based violence directed at women and children. However, we cannot deny that men also suffer abuse from their female partners. Therefore, it is important that we expose all these cases of gender-based violence,” Khoza said.
She said the pain inflicted by gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in families needed every member of society to play a role to end it.
“It is quite unfortunate that even people entrusted with the responsibility to implement the laws to end the scourge of GBVF end up being involved in violation of human rights. It just doesn’t make sense that this policewoman allegedly abused her husband and believed that she could not face the law,” Khoza said.
The MEC added that although police officers were entrusted with the law, they were not above the law.
“Since this man came forward to detail the abuse he had suffered for years at the hands of his wife, we want to see the law take its course. The claim that this man has been suffering beatings for some time calls for a proper investigation,” Khoza said.
“We will help him open a case and ensure that matter receives top priority. We are aware that men also suffer abuse, but are not brave enough to come forward. As the department, we have a responsibility to help all the victims of gender-based violence equally.”
Khoza also said despicable incidents of GBVF left victims traumatised for years.
“It is therefore important that we isolate all those involved in such brutality and allow the law to take its course. In this case, we want to see this officer being arrested as there is no one who is above the law.”
On Thursday IFP community safety and liaison spokesperson Blessed Gwala said this type of brutality was eye-opening. Images provided by the victim revealed an urgent need for dialogue around violence perpetrated by women against men in the country.
Gwala said the IFP would start a dialogue so that men who are abused by their wives can speak out.
Based on the victim’s account – and corroborating images – of the abuse, the IFP called on Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Peggy Nkonyeni (before she was announced as Finance MEC) to intervene swiftly, he said.
“We would also like to know if the MEC has any plans in place to protect men who have been abused by women. Nkonyeni should make sure that this perpetrator is arrested within 24 hours for her barbaric actions, especially considering that she is a member of the SAPS. She has sworn an oath to treat every person with respect: she should be the one protecting the victim, not causing grievous bodily harm,” Gwala said.
Daily News