
Calls for conference to teach men and boys about gender-based violence
By CELANI SIKHAKHANE
The gruesome murder of a Nongoma woman by her boyfriend who refused when she tried to break up, have sparked calls for an urgent summit for men and boys in order to come up with possible solutions to end gender-based violence in rural areas.
The clarion call was made by the deputy mayor of Nongoma Local Municipality, Nokubekezela Xulu after the senseless killing of Nqobile Gumbi.
Gumbi was attacked by her ex-boyfriend at Sovana area after she broke up with him. According to the police report it is alleged that after the break-up, the ex-boyfriend went to Gumbi’s homestead and demanded that they get back together, but she refused.
He then butchered Gumbi and her baby with a knife which resulted to her death, and her baby in a critical condition in hospital.
The suspect then turned the knife on himself and committed suicide. Xulu said it is high time for the whole community and government to convene an urgent summit for men and boys to fight this scourge.
“We have tried many things to talk to the girls and remember that all these programmes ended up excluding young boys.
“This is the time where we should come up with programmes that will assist men and boys to become better people in our society.
“We can’t afford to have men who kill us just like that. The murder of Nqobile Gumbi needs to wake all of us including men and take a stand against gender based violence,” Xulu said.