Sactwu members form human chain
Workers call for an end to abuse against women and children
DESPITE being a small group, members of the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) shared their message loud and clear.
They held a human chain calling for an urgent intervention to address the scourge of violence against women and children during 16 Days of Activism.
The workers of Levi Strauss, who are part of the union, took to the streets and held up banners that said, “there is no excuse for abuse” and “please stop”. It was held in Epping Industria.
“We have mostly women working in our factory and we have women in our factory going through this on a daily basis and what we need to start doing is breaking the silence,” shop steward Shireen Pharo said.
Pharo said the women who work in the factory suffer in silence.
“We have women sitting in our factory with a lot of problems, which they do not want to talk about because they don’t know who to talk to.
“It’s important because violence against our women and children is a daily thing and we want to make a difference here,” Shanice Abrahams, another worker said.
“I think we should have more demonstrations like this. Every day I hear the news of women being raped and children being murdered and it’s sad,” Thaslima Vardien, a worker said.
They gathered close to where the body of three-year old Courtney Pieters was found in an open field close to Bofors Circle.
The little girl was murdered and raped, allegedly by a boarder who stayed with her at her parents’ home. Mortimer Saunders is due to appear in the Western Cape High Court tomorrow.