On Monday 25th of March 2024 Kingswood welcomed the Mrwetyana family, Public Protector Adv. Kholeka Gcaleka and the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation to our annual Uyinene Mrwetyana Commemorative Lecture.
SABC Coverage: Uyinene Mrwetyana | Foundation aims to fight scourge of GBV – https://lnkd.in/dK7C4kpM
Adv. Gcaleka gave a moving speech to the school on the changes we need to make as a society, and in our own minds, to make a difference in the fight against GBVF (gender-based violence and femicide). She urged the pupils to rise, find their power and use it to transform society; the only way to true equality.
“Balance is important… We don’t want to raise isolated boys or over-masculine girls because of our scars. This will create a different anger in the new generation and it is not anger we want to see. We want to create equality and equity between girls and boys” – Adv. Kholeka Gcaleka
On 24 August 2019, Uyinene Mrwetyana (OK 2018) fell victim to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and was brutally murdered. Her loss was felt deeply within the Kingswood and Makhanda communities, but it was South Africa that responded. The brutality of her killing led to widespread outrage in South Africa, sparking marches across the country under the banner hashtag#AmINext and igniting a movement highlighting the scrounge of gender-based violence in the country.
Together with the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation since 2021, we pause to commemorate her life and the legacy she has left behind each year around her birthday (20 April). The Foundation was established in 2019 to celebrate Uyinene, and aims to empower young people to stand against gender-based violence.
“In light of the fact that we are all gathered here today, one cannot help but view this gathering as something which is indicative of a society that has taken a decision to fight back against Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), on behalf of ourselves, on behalf of Uyinene and indeed on behalf of the future generations of young women, whom, we hope to protect from such occurrences.” – Adv. Kholeka Gcaleka
Thank you to the Mrwetyana family and friends, our guest speaker Adv. Kholeka Gcaleka, the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation and our invited guests for supporting us in this journey.
