​


Mampe Marapyane
The Gauteng Department of Health
officially opened Clinical Forensic Medical Service facility (CFMS) as part of
16 Days of Activism for no violence against women and children commemorations
in Bekkersdal on Monday.


“This clinic is a forensic
medical clinic. It is central in dealing with the issue of gender based
violence. At this clinic, all victims of violence and sexual assault are seen. 


Acting Head of Health Department,
Dr Richard Lebethe further said that the scourge of gender-based violence does
not only disrupt and take away the dignity, freedom and identity of women and
children but it also reverses and restricts development of all forms in our
communities.

“As the communities we must echo
the call enough is enough,” pleaded Dr Lebethe. 


Furthermore, Dr Lebethe said
Bekkersdal contributed 14% (147) of overall cases of sexual assault reported in
the West Rand District for 2018/19 financial year, while domestic violence had
56.3 % (9) of reported cases.


Puleng Mmuso, Acting Chief
Director for the West Rand District pleaded with the community to look after
the facility.


“This facility does not only
belong to the Department of Health but it belongs to the community of
Bekkersdal.  So as in when there are
issues in terms of gender based violence please use it,” she said.


“We work in close collaboration
with the Police and the Social Workers. As we all know that Bekkersdal is very
far from other facilities, so it is very critical that we have a facility
nearer to the people, because our aim is to bring services to the people. I
hope the community will take care of this facility, value the facility and
visit the facility,” added Mmuso.


Bekkersdal Clinic professional
nurse, Refiloe Thobela said: “When the patients visit the facility they are
counselled and examined, thereafter we refer the patient to social workers. If
there are victims of rape, we give the patients Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
to reduce the risk of contracting HIV.” 


She further added that a lot of
victims do not visit these kind of facilities due to the fear instilled in them
by the perpetrator and fearing for their lives. “Victims should be strong and
fear no one, we have a strong and competent policing in the country that is
more than capable of protecting them. Victims need to come forward so they can
receive help,” said Thobela. 


Community member, Lerato Tsotetsi
said: “As a community we are asking for Police intervention because every week
we are hearing of cases whereby our young women are continuously raped and the
culprits seem to be walking free. We feel that there are not enough arrests and
that may be an indication that not enough is done to address the crisis of
gender-based violence.”