Pretoria – The EFF in Gauteng said it is “repulsed” by the video circulating on social media, showing a “barbaric” man repeatedly assaulting a woman outside a car.
EFF Gauteng chair, Nkululeko Dunga said the abusive man was hitting the woman without care or fear of consequence for his actions.
“The EFF in Gauteng calls on all fighters on the ground to find this barbaric abuser who was caught on video abusing a woman. Leave no corner unchecked, no stone unturned, we must find him and bring him to the nearest police station,” Dunga said.
“We also call on the victim to approach our gender-based violence desk should she need any support or safe space.”
Earlier this week, social media users across South Africa had reacted with shock after an unknown man was captured on video repeatedly slapping a woman in the middle of the street after what appeared to be an argument.
The man is seen repeatedly assaulting the women outside a car as vehicles drive past. A woman tries to intervene but the man continues to assault the woman.
It was unclear when and where the incident occurred, but the video left many Twitter users livid.
The 19 seconds-long footage shows a man repeatedly slapping the victim, while another woman tries to intervene unsuccessfully.
The people who took the video, from the balcony of a nearby building, are heard gasping every time a blow lands on the woman’s face.
Reacting to the video, the EFF in Gauteng said the government has been reluctant to radically tackle the raging “femicide pandemic” in the country.
“Every year the government spends millions of rands on mere talks about gender-based violence and femicide in this country, with no tangible plans of action. Rapists, abusers, and murderers live amongst us with their heads held high because they know their abhorrent acts bear no consequence. South Africa is still observing its 16 days of activism; however, this means nothing to the women and children who are mutilated and murdered daily,” Dunga said.
“Between April to June 2022, 855 women and 243 children were murdered, and over 11 000 assault GBH cases, with female victims, were opened with the police. Let us all bear in mind that this is not a true number of the actual GBV and femicide deaths we have in this country and province.”
The EFF has reiterated its call for specialised courts that will solely deal with GBV cases.
“Police officers also need intensified sensitivity training on how to handle GBV cases,” Dunga said.
IOL