“When Anene was killed, the whole country was in shock. We’d had enough.”
|||Cape Town - Anene Booysen’s rape and murder continue to stir public emotion, with another anti-violence initiative held on Monday which coincided with the court appearance of the two men implicated in her violent death.
Booysen was found assaulted and disembowelled after being gang-raped on February 2.
People Against Abuse (PAA) and the Cape Agulhas municipality held a safety day as a stand against violence and abuse.
Cape Agulhas mayor Richard Mitchell said the initiative to establish a safety day was just the first of many planned. “We are all aware of Anene Booysen; since her death Bredasdorp has been put on the map.
“When Anene was murdered, the whole country was in shock. We’d had enough. We don’t want our mothers and daughters to be affected… We are taking a stand. No more.
“The tragic death of Anene does not define us as a community.
“As a municipality and community we will start with various initiatives (recognising) that we must invest in our young people.”
Mitchell said part of the problem was that too many people failed to complete matric.
“We have started a leadership project for youth who leave school early. We have received support from the national Minister for Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande, as well as from the local and provincial governments.”
Nzimande launched a R10 million youth project in Bredasdorp on Saturday.
Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said it was important to not only look at women and children but men too.
“We must focus on our men too, because it’s the men who rape. It’s the man who will unzip his pants… force himself on to the woman.
“Parents should also pay more attention to their children. The structures that are put in place now must be felt for years to come. We have to go back to family values.”
Meanwhile, the two men accused of raping and murdering Booysen appeared briefly in the Bredasdorp Regional Court on Monday. Jonathan Davids and Johannes Kana are in custody.
The case was postponed to May 21.
natasha.bezuidenhout@inl.co.za
Cape Argus