Nelson
Mandela Bay Municipality Executive Mayor Mongameli Bobani expressed his
dissatisfaction with the low-key reception the organisers and participants of
the protest march against gender-based violence received yesterday (14
September).
"Besides the
fact that the march was not included in my diary on Saturday, I am very unhappy
about the amateurish way the administrators in my office handled the receipt of
the petition.
"I would like
to unreservedly apologise to the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay, as I was
neither briefed about the event nor given an opportunity to address the
concerned marchers myself.
"Under no
circumstances would I have allowed an official to receive the petition on my
behalf, at this gathering of national importance.
"I will get
to the bottom of this and will read the responsible officials the riot act, and
depending on what I find, further actions could follow.
"The low-key
reception is inexcusable and contrary to our recent statements and the hosting
of a prayer session (last week) following a spate of femicide cases rocking our
country. We called on men to take a leading role on behalf of women as the unrelenting
scourge of violence against them continues unabated.
"I strongly
condemn gender-based violence and femicide. The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
will therefore not stand for any form of ill-treatment of women and children in
their cause for justice and a safer society,” Mayor Bobani said.
Ends
Issued by
the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Office of the Executive Mayor. For more
information, please contact Mayoral Spokesperson, George Geleba, at 071 403
7585 or ggeleba@mandelametro.gov.za.