Die Son: Violence is Common 

MAAHIR PRETORIUS | PAARL, SOUTH AFRICA

A young man from the Mbekweni residential neighbourhood in Paarl threatens that he will purposefully infect many women with HIV/AIDS. He alleges that he was not given a choice before he got infected and therefore he will carry it on to as many people as possible.
On the other hand a young woman blatantly said that she will continue to sell her body as long as the man can buy savannah’s and airtime.

These shocking statements were made during a project ran by the nonprofit organization Rural Education, Awareness and Community Health (REACH) and the Southern African HIV and AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS) during a project that was recently carried out in the Boland region. The project focused on improving living conditions of men and women in the communities in light of World AIDS Day and the 16 Days of Activism for ending violence against women and children.

Read more: Die Son Violence is Common Dec10

Paarl Post: Dialogues in Mbekweni 

PAARL, SOUTH AFRICA

The organization REACH (Rural Education, Awareness & Community Health) held community dialogues in Mbekweni in conjunction with SAFAIDS.  REACH is a non-profit organization that addresses sexual harassment and violence against women and other interlinking factors in communities in the Western Cape. 

Read more: Paarl Post Dialogues in Mbekweni Jul10

Die Son: Moontlik nog gulp-skandes

MAHEER PRETORIUS | KAAPSTAD, SUID AFRIKA

Daar is na bewering nog gulp-skandes wat die omstrede Wes-Kaapse minister van gemeenskapsveiligheid, adv. Lennit Max, betrek. Die minister het na verneem word ’n vurige verhouding gehad met ’n voormalige sekretaresse.

Read more: Die Son Moontlik nog gulp skandes Feb10

Die Son: Pedo’s se name kom uit...maar lys is nie vir almal se oë

MAAHIR PRETORIUS | KAAPSTADT, SUID AFRIKA

NET één uit elke nege kinder-seks­oortredings word aangemeld. Verder word net 4 tot 6% van dié klagte suksesvol vervolg, sê die OD-leier en lid van die Regterlike Dienskommissie (RDK), Patricia de Lille. Die staat stel op 1 Julie die register van kinderseks-oortreders bekend. Werkgewers soos nie-regeringsorganisasies, skole en gesondheids­instansies kan voortaan dié register nader voordat hulle nuwe werknemers aanstel. Maar Son verneem die register, wat die name van veroordeelde kinderseks-oortreders sal bevat, gaan nie vir die algemene publiek se oë beskikbaar wees nie. Joanie Fredericks, ’n vroueregte-aktivis en woordvoerder van Rural Education Aware­ness and Community Health (Reach), sê dis ’n algemene feit dat die regstelsel nie 100% werk nie.

Read more: Die Son almal moet registreer sien Jun09

International Labour Rights Forum: Jolene, South African Mother: Long workdays, unsafe working conditions

ILRF | WASHINGTON DC, U.S.A.

THIS STORY IS PART OF ILRF'S MOTHERS' STORIES SERIES. EVERY DAY BEFORE MOTHER'S DAY, A WORKING MOTHER AROUND THE WORLD WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED.

My name is Jolene, I am 39 years old and I have 3 children. I work on a farm, which is located in the Elgin farming community in Grabouw, Western Cape, South Africa. I operate a machine on a dried fruit production line. I’ve worked here for 25 years. I started working to help my parents with their expenses. This is the reason why I left school. I get paid R95.60 per day ($10 USD), about R956.00 ($100 USD) a fortnight which results in about R1 912.00 per month ($211 USD). I think I get paid minimum wage because my wage is not based on production or piecework, but I’m really not sure.

Read more: ILRF Jolene May09

IDEX: Ending Sexual Violence with REACH

IDEX BLOG | SAN FRANCISCO, U.S.A.

IDEX Program Officers, Kat and Vini are on field visits in South Africa to research groups IDEX could support through our catalyst grants program. Today we traveled one hour north of Cape Town towards Paarl, an area surrounded by mountains and vineyards, on the banks of the Berg River. We visited one of REACH's awareness workshops on sexual harassment with an objective of encouraging women to participate in sharing their life stories to create a book in time for Rural Women's Day on August 15, 2009.

Read more: IDEX Ending Sexual Violence With REACH Apr09