Gauteng Social Development MEC Thuliswa Nkabinde-Khawe has on Friday joined staff members in a picketing at Head Office in Johannesburg to raise awareness in eradicating gender-based violence in the province as part of the United Nations (UN) Orange Day campaign. 
The day is observed on the 25 of every month to call upon activists, governments, and communities to mobilize people and highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending violence against women and children.
Wearing black and orange colours, staff members joined in song to denounce any form of abuse and were chanting, "DOWN WITH WOMEN ABUSE, DOWN". 
Addressing the community and staff members, MEC Nkabinde-Khawe said "We should intensify this initiative and I would like to see a lot of men leading this campaign. I plead to fellow women and children not to keep quiet when they experience any form of abuse." 
"We should utilize this day to end gender-based violence," added the MEC. 
The department has called upon society to unite to end gender based violence and stand behind the orange day campaign.