Durban — Close to a hundred women and children walked 4km along the Golden Mile in Durban on Sunday to promote peace after the peaceful 2024 elections.
They also launched the Peace Charter.
Professor Cheryl Hendricks from the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation said the walk was organised by the Women’s Election Mechanism for Peace and it was an opportunity to advocate for peace.
They were concerned about the uncertainty of the Government of National Unity and the divisions that have already started to show between the political parties; they were encouraging all political leaders to act with maturity to take the country forward, she said.
Hendricks said the national action plan was to build an army of women peace builders across the country.
She said that in July 2021 women created a mechanism to respond and they deployed 300 monitors to maintain peace. She also said that they were the first to declare the elections peaceful.
The message of the peace walk was to create a collective that advocates for peace as they launched the Peace Charter that includes committing to peace and resolving disputes non-violently and creating safe environments for everyone.
“It also includes holding each other accountable to practise peace at all times and to facilitate mediation, restoration, healing and justice in our communities,” Hendricks said.
Elizabeth McNamara, a participant in the walk, said that the walk for peace was important as it was good for women to spread the word of peace.
Secretary-general of Religions for Peace SA and the South African Women of Faith Network, Hailey Fudu, said the walk was also in honour of the women who dedicated their time to ensure that the elections were peaceful.
Ruth Thenadu, a peace monitor for the Women’s Election Mechanism for Peace, was also present. Dr Sibongile Nhlapho from the Progressive Women’s Movement of SA also attended. She said that they were very excited about the launch of the Peace Charter since violence often affects women greatly.
“This is a great moment of our history as women are gathered and declaring that there will be no more violence or war, and there will be peace in our communities and our land because peace affects women and children mostly,” she said.
eManzimtoti Community Policing Forum chairperson and SAPS Spiritual Crime Prevention officer, Chaplain Merlene Matthew, who also attended, said that as the CPF they are on the ground every day and see first-hand what hate, misunderstandings, anger, bitterness and revenge do in society. A moment of anger becomes a crime, and the victim’s and the criminal’s lives change forever.
Matthew said that their role is to de-escalate situations, to create a peaceful atmosphere for meaningful dialogue and that not all situations require the police to intervene, but it’s easier to make everything a police problem.
“We have a role as leaders to intervene and assist our communities to find solutions. We live in the most amazing country in the world, freedom of expression, religion, but unfortunately our crime stats are appalling.
“Peace starts at home – GBV, femicide, abuse, rape are happening at home. If we deal with these issues first, then only we can have a peaceful society where women and children are safe. As social crime activists we keep on fighting by educating learners at schools, churches, etc. The key to the fight is information and knowledge, because ignorance is not bliss. I am a woman, a mother, a wife.
“I will keep on making my voice heard fighting for change. For a peaceful society and country.”
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