'Why must we ask permission to mourn?’: Cape women question City process for GBV solidarity walk - IOL

As women across South Africa wore black on Friday in solidarity with victims of gender-based violence, a Cape Town activist questioned why women planning to gather at Princess Vlei to mourn the nine women killed in Ekurhuleni need to go through a City application process.

Anti-gender-based violence activist Lucinda Evans plans to bring women together at Princess Vlei for a peaceful walk, prayer and words of encouragement.

The Heritage Day gathering follows renewed national outrage over the deaths of nine women whose bodies were found in different parts of Ekurhuleni in recent weeks.

Evans said she was contacted by City officials after Ward Councillor Kevin Southgate became aware of the planned march.

Correspondence between Southgate and Evans, seen by the Cape Argus, shows that the councillor said he had seen notice of the event on a community group and contacted City officials so that Evans could be advised of the requirements.

“You did not engage me nor any City official on the matter. I saw your notice on a community group and thought that I would alert (an official) and ask him to contact you to advise what the requirements were to host the event,” Southgate wrote.

He said his intention had been to prevent a situation where organisers arrived at Princess Vlei only to discover that they required permission for the event.

Southgate added that his office had subsequently provided Evans with the necessary event application forms.

Evans, however, questioned why she was expected to engage the City in the first place when Princess Vlei was a public open space.

“Why must I do that when Princess Vlei is a public open space? Why must I engage the ward councillor and the City to be hosting 200 women who are currently in mourning?” Evans said.

“Why must I engage and ask permission from the City of Cape Town when this is one of the safest spaces we feel that we can walk and cry and mourn?”

She also took issue with another part of the councillor’s correspondence, in which he said he supported the application subject to compliance with applicable by-laws and regulations.

“So what by-laws and regulations are there for gender-based violence? What compliance and by-laws are there when the country, the women of this country, has been ravaged, and there are carnage?” Evans said.

Speaking to the Cape Argus, Southgate stressed that he was not opposed to the gathering and said he had known Evans for many years.

“It’s an event taking place at Princess Vlei. If you have an event, you need to apply for an event permit,” he said.

Southgate said Evans had not approached him before advertising the gathering and that he had only become aware of it after seeing an infographic shared on a community group.

“I thought I was doing good by asking the City official to assist her. I support the initiative,” he said.

“I am not opposed to the event at all. I understand it’s a march and she is going to have it in a public space. This is a public park,” he said.

He added that the requirement was about ensuring that activities taking place at the park complied with the necessary procedures.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis similarly said people have a right to peaceful protest and that the planned gathering would be supported.

“Anyone has the right to a peaceful protest and they would absolutely be very welcome to do that,” Hill-Lewis said.

“They do have to just inform the City of the planned protest and the gathering permit will be issued.”

Hill-Lewis said organisers should engage the City’s events department if this had not yet happened, adding that the process happened regularly and “very easily”.

The women are expected to walk around Princess Vlei from 9am until 11am, carrying posters before ending the gathering with a prayer.