KwaThema residents want more police visibility in the area - EWN

Residents in KwaThema in Ekurhuleni said that they want more police visibility in the area.

About 100 people took part in an anti-gender-based violence (GBV) march on Friday to raise awareness about the scourge. 

It follows the discovery of bodies of murdered women in parts of Ekurhuleni and in Soweto in the past few months.

Dozens of men led the march from the local police station through the streets of KwaThema.

They stopped at a park named after Eudy Simelane, a footballer who was raped, beaten and stabbed to death in 2008 in an attack linked to her sexual orientation.

Two suspects were convicted, and two others acquitted.

On the sidelines, residents noted the deteriorating state of the park.

"No, I don't think it looks safe; you can't walk there at night alone."

The march was flanked by metro police cars - not a popular sight in the community.

"You can walk and walk and walk, but no police van. Where they are parked, they are eating kotas and whatever, but they are not doing what they are supposed to do."

The campaign aimed to urge men to take a stand against GBV.

The Presidency is due to update the country about the crisis soon.

Never miss a major story. Get breaking news and the latest developments from South Africa and beyond as they happen.